NASA identifies launch attempt dates for Artemis I mission to the Moon
The Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)
Artemis I, an uncrewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, may blast off as early as , with and as back-up dates.
During this flight, the Orion spacecraft will launch from Florida on the SLS and venture thousands of kilometres beyond the Moon. Orion's systems will then be monitored to ensure a safe Crew Module re-entry, splashdown, and recovery. Orion will stay in space longer than any spacecraft built for astronauts ever has without docking to a space station.
A successful Artemis I mission will bring us a step closer to seeing a Canadian Space Agency astronaut flying around the Moon as part of Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the Moon since . This mission, currently planned to launch in , would make Canada the second country to have an astronaut fly around the Moon.
Artemis missions are an important part of NASA's Artemis program, designed to send humans farther into space than ever before. Like the Apollo program over 50 years ago, Artemis will begin with missions around the Moon before a mission that lands on the lunar surface.