The alternative dates for launch for the Artemis 1 mission are September 2 and September 5.
With the Artemis mission, NASA aims to use what they learn on and around the Moon for the next mission to send first astronauts to Mars.
Here are the 5 facts on NASA's Artemis 1 mission
- The Artemis 1 is the first integrated test of NASA's deep space exploration: the Orion Spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The Artemis 1 launch is an uncrewed flight test that will lay the foundation for sending humans back to the moon.
- The Artemis 1 will be the maiden flight in the Artemis space program, which is the space agency's quest to send humans back to the moon after 50 years since the last Apollo program in 1972. In Artemis 1, Mannequins equipped with sensors are standing in for a crew for the mission
- The mission will witness the launch of NASA's giant and the world's most powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which will propel the Orion crew capsule into the Moon's orbit before returning to Earth after 42 days. Over the course of the mission, it will travel 450,000 Km from Earth and 40,000 Km beyond the Moon's far side.
- In the year 2024, astronauts will travel aboard the Orion capsule and in the following year, humans will once again take a step on the Moon. NASA aims to send the first woman and first person of colour to the Moon.
- On Monday, NASA had to delay the launch of the SLS rocket due to a temperature issue in one of the four RS-25 engines. The alternative dates for launch for the Artemis 1 mission are September 2 and September 5.
