NASA's next-generation rocket SLS completed! Launch is scheduled for February next year

 

NASA, which has completed the assembly work of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, held a press conference last week. There, the dates for the Artemis program were announced. The successful installation of the spacecraft "Orion" is a major milestone for NASA preparing for the Artemis program aiming for the moon.

The SLS rocket has been assembled and is now 101 meters high. NASA's team of engineers completed assembly work at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida just before midnight on October 21st. In addition to the spacecraft Orion, which weighs about 33.5 tons, the rocket has a fixed launch escape system. The assembly work and its completion, which began earlier this year, marks an important milestone at NASA.

At the press conference, Mike Bolger, program manager for the exploration ground system at the Kennedy Space Center, told reporters that he was surprised to see the SLS rocket from top to bottom, calling it a "great sight." The rocket is currently in the NASA Space Shuttle Assembly Building (VAB), and Bolger said it would be even more exciting if the rocket was rolled out to the launch pad.

Cathy Koerner, Project Orion Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center, said her team had conducted all the tests to prepare Orion for the rollout. The Artemis 1 mission is Orion's second flight to space, but the first to go to deep space . "I'm excited to see Orion work in an environment designed for it," Koerner said in a press conference.

The first launch of the next-generation large rocket, the highly anticipated Artemis 1 mission, has finally come to light. In this test flight, a rocket throws an unmanned Orion capsule into space, and Orion orbits the moon and returns without landing on the moon. If the test is successful, we will be ready for Artemis 2 (a similar mission except for NASA astronauts) scheduled for the end of 2023.

At the press conference, the launch date for Artemis 1 was announced, making it extremely clear that the mission was nearing implementation. Artemis 1 mission manager Mike Sarafin commented that the SLS rocket will be launched as early as 5:56 pm on February 12, 2022, Eastern Daylight Time . The comprehensive launch window will open until February 27th. If SLS is not launched in February, NASA will re-challenge between March 12-21 and April 8-23.

The reason for the two-week pattern is related to the so-called "three-body problem", which affects the tilt of the earth's axis, the cycle of the moon, and the need to land during the day when returning to Earth. Sarafin explains that it will be done.

The announced launch schedule will depend on a number of upcoming tests and ongoing assessments, including countdown tests to verify communication systems, ground system tests, and wet dress rehearsals to pour propellant into rocket fuel tanks. increase. The exact date of the wet dress rehearsal is unknown, but Deputy Deputy Director of Exploration Systems Development Tom Whitmeyer said it would be ideal to do it in January.

Deputy Deputy Director Whitmeyer told reporters, "We are very excited about our tremendous progress, especially given the problems posed by the new Corona." But when it came to the dates, he nailed, "I'll fly when I'm ready to fly to the hardware."

At the press conference, John Honeycutt, SLS Program Manager at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, said the team had completed testing and is working on integration. He added that Artemis 1 is not only the first test launch from SLS, but also the first test for many new ground systems.

Sarafin said the completion of stacking was an important milestone, suggesting that it was in the final stages. He points out challenges such as maneuvering Orion under true flight conditions, returning from the moon to perform a safe re-entry (capsule reaches Mach 32 to Mach 0 in 20 seconds), and spacecraft recovery. , Warned that Artemis 1 is not an easy task. He also said he would deploy multiple cubesats, including BioSentinel, to study the effects of radiation on yeast.

Sarafin said he was thrilled that Orion had a camera and was hoping to take a selfie against the backdrop of a spectacular view of the Earth, more than 322,000 km away from the moon .

Artemis 1 and 2 are currently scheduled for 2024 (although the clouds are becoming suspicious ...) are test missions for the ultimate reward of a manned lunar landing. The main purpose of the Artemis program is to ensure a long and sustainable lunar stay that will serve as a preparation for the mission to Mars in the 2030s.