![]() Twelve astronauts walked on the moon during six Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972, the only spaceflights yet to place humans on the lunar surface. ![]() Named for the goddess who was Apollo's twin sister in ancient Greek mythology, Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon's surface as early as 2025, though many experts believe that time frame will likely slip. MOON TO MARS Apart from its technical challenges, Artemis I signals a major turning point for NASA's post-Apollo human spaceflight program, after decades focused on low-Earth orbit with space shuttles and the International Space Station. The last-minute setbacks on the launch pad come at the tail end of a development program more than a decade in the making, with years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns under NASA's respective SLS and Orion contracts with Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp. "This is part of our space program - be ready for scrubs," Nelson said on NASA TV. On average, the odds of scrubbing a launch on any given day for any reason, including foul weather, are about one-in-three. Launch-day delays and technical snags are not uncommon in the space business, especially for new rockets such as NASA's Space Launch System, a complex vehicle with a set of pre-lift-off procedures that have yet to be fully tested and rehearsed by engineers without a hitch. Nasa chief Bill Nelson said earlier in the day that a rollback would postpone the next launch attempt at least until mid-October, in part to avoid a scheduling conflict with the next International Space Station crew due for launch early that month. He said the postponement also would involve rolling the spacecraft off the launch pad and back into its assembly building at some point, under space center "range" rules limiting how long a rocket may remain at the tower before liftoff. 19-30, or during a subsequent October window, an associate NASA administrator, Jim Free, told reporters at a late-afternoon briefing. The delay means the earliest opportunity to try flying the rocket again would come during the next launch period that runs Sept. According to ESA, the service module contains 33 thrusters, six fuel and storage tanks, and nearly 7 miles (11 kilometers) of wiring throughout the spacecraft's systems.But after a review of data from the latest difficulties, NASA concluded the hydrogen leak was too tricky and time-consuming to finish troubleshooting and fix on the launch pad before the current launch period allotted to the mission expires on Tuesday. The ESM stores and supplies crucial resources like air, water and electricity, and its fuel tanks and rocket engine serve as Orion's primary source of propulsion. The Orion capsule that Artemis 2 crew members will call home is completely reliant on its service module during the mission. ![]() It will carry NASA astronauts Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a journey around the moon and back that will last approximately 10 days. ![]() Artemis 2 is the first crewed mission of the program. ![]() Artemis 1 launched in November 2022, sending an uncrewed Orion into lunar orbit. Through its Artemis program, NASA is returning human exploration to the moon, this time with the aim of establishing a long-term presence on the lunar surface. "ESA will continue to work closely with our NASA and industry colleagues on getting the Orion spacecraft ready for launch and throughout the Artemis 2 mission." It could not have been achieved without the tremendous effort of all the teams involved," Thirkettle said. "The handover is a formality, but it is an important milestone for the program. ![]()
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