Published: Less than 20 min ago
Nasa hopes to launch the troubled Artemis 1 moon rocket as early as September.
The US space agency has designated September 23, or at worst the 27th of the same month, as the target for a launch of Artemis 1.
Nasa states that on those days there are some short windows of 80 and 70 minutes respectively when a launch could happen.
Artemis is the space program that will once again take man to the stars. First to the moon. Then – maybe – to Mars.
But so far the setbacks have succeeded each other. The Artemis program is several years behind schedule and has gone over budget by several billion dollars.
On August 29, Swedish time, the first planned launch was canceled after a fuel leak was discovered – and thousands of visiting space enthusiasts had to return home disappointed.
The second launch attempt, on September 4, was marred by the same problem.
Nasa then stated that the next chance would be between September 19 and October 4, but that it was unlikely the rocket would be ready by then.
Artemis 1 will complete a six-week unmanned journey around the moon. One of the primary goals is to test the lunar lander model Orion’s heat shield, which on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere will be exposed to temperatures of just over 2,700 degrees.
Artemis 2 is scheduled to depart in 2024. The spaceflight will be manned but will not land.
In 2025 or 2026, the first manned lunar landing in over half a century will take place through Artemis 3.
If all goes well, a manned trip to Mars looms in the late 2030s. But then Artemis 1 must first succeed in leaving Earth behind.