Tech & Science

NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket is ‘GO’ for launch early Wednesday

Liftoff of NASA’s $4.1 billion mega moon rocket is set for Nov. 16 at 1:04 a.m. EST (0604 GMT).

Karen Graham

Published

November 15, 2022

NASA's SLS rocket is seen August 26, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. — © AFP

NASA's SLS rocket is seen August 26, 2022 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. — © AFP

.Liftoff of NASA’s $4.1 billion mega moon rocket is set for Nov. 16 at 1:04 a.m. EST (0604 GMT).

Despite some concerns over the damage the $4.1-billion-dollar Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle and Orion spacecraft experienced due to Hurricane Nicole, NASA is moving forward with its current launch attempt.

Propellant loading on NASA’s first Space Launch System moon rocket continues this evening at pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center. “Things look really good right now… We are right on the timeline” says Jeremy Graeber, NASA’s Artemis 1 assistant launch director, according to Space Flight Now.

The most recent weather forecast predicts an 80 percent chance of favorable weather for launch at the opening of the two-hour launch window at 1:04 a.m. EST (0604 GMT). That is a slight degradation from the previous forecast. The main weather concerns are with the potential for thick clouds and cumulus clouds.

Live event coverage of the Artemis 1 countdown and launch will air on Space.com courtesy of NASA Television, the NASA mobile app, and the agency’s official website. Broadcasting of prelaunch activities started at 3:30 p.m. EST (2030 GMT) when the agency begins the Space Launch System’s cryogenic fueling process.

Artemis 1 was originally scheduled to launch in late August, but glitches with fueling caused a one-month delay. Then came Hurricane Ian, which caused further delays as NASA rolled the Artemis 1 SLS stack off of Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center for the shelter of the massive Vehicle Assembly Building.

After being rolled out to the pad once more on Nov. 4, SLS then had to weather Hurricane Nicole, which subjected the vehicle to high winds while it weakened to a tropical storm shortly after landfall.

“The unanimous recommendation for the team was that we were in a good position to go ahead and proceed with the launch countdown,” Jeremy Parsons, deputy manager of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems program at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, said during a media teleconference on Monday (Nov. 14).

Artemis 1 will last nearly 26 days when it launches, ending with the Orion capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after reentering Earth’s atmosphere at 25,000 mph (40,200 kph).

In this article:26 day mission, 80 % favorable weather\, Artemis 1, GO for launch, NASA's moon rocket, November 16

Written By Karen Graham

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.