Artemis program

On August 29, NASA worked its way through the countdown for the first launch attempt of the SLS rocket with the Artemis 1 mission. A few issues delayed the count, and ultimately led to the teams scrubbing the launch. So when will NASA attempt to launch their most powerful rocket?

While the hype was real for today’s historic launch attempt of Artemis 1, today was just not the day. Unfortunately, we don’t yet know the severity of the issues that eventually put the nail in the coffin for today’s launch, but we should hopefully know soon.

After years of work, SLS sits on LC-39B ahead of its maiden flight on Artemis 1. The launch, set for the morning of August 29, will certainly be beautiful, but the rocket has already provided some brilliant views on its journey to the launch pad.

Isn’t that a nice headline to finally write? Artemis I (knock on wood) took its final rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B. With less than two weeks until the launch date, the feeling is real that it might happen.

Today, NASA’s latest Moon rocket, SLS, will be rolling to the launchpad. After the sun sets, the crawler will begin to carry the rocket over out to LC-39B, and the rocket is scheduled to launch for the Artemis I on the morning of August 29 for an uncrewed flight around the Moon.

The launch of Artemis I has been a long-anticipated (and delayed) event. At last, the rocket is nearing its launch. With barely more than two weeks until the planned launch, the rocket is now set to head for the launchpad on Tuesday evening.

Back in April, NASA chose Canoo to build the electric vehicles that will bring astronauts to the launchpad for the Artemis program. Since then, Canoo and NASA have brought the vehicles around Kennedy Space Center, from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout building to the launchpad that will return astronauts to the Moon.

Update: As of July 20, NASA says it is holding three placeholder dates for possible launch targets: August 29 between 8:33 a.m. and 10:33 a.m. ET, September 2 between 12:48 p.m. and 2:48 p.m. ET, and September 5 between 5:12 p.m. and 6:42 p.m. ET. Mission duration would be 42 days, 39 days, and 42 days, respectively.

NASA conducted its fourth wet dress rehearsal attempt for its Space Launch System rocket this week, completing a critical trial run at fueling the rocket mostly without issue. Officials were uncertain one day after the test if the Moon rocket would require another round of fueling. The agency has since communicated that it intends to launch SLS as early as last August without a fifth go at working out the kinks during fueling.

In an interview with the German publication Der Spiegel, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson discussed the question many have been asking for a while. Why doesn’t NASA ditch SLS and replace it with SpaceX’s cheaper and more capable Starship rocket?

Rocket Lab launched the first Artemis program mission, called CAPSTONE, from its launch site in New Zealand on June 28. Its purpose? Testing out the orbit and procedures for where NASA’s proposed Gateway space station will be.

You might have thought due to SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk publicly offering support to NASA’s new spacesuit program, his company would at least submit a proposal. It turns out no, which begs the question if SpaceX’s EVA capable suit is as far along as some people may think.

NASA completed the wet dress rehearsal of its Space Launch System rocket Monday from start to (almost) finish for the first time. It wasn’t without some hiccups, but this is a major milestone to fuel up all four tanks on the rocket before launch.

NASA’s ‘Moon to Mars’ Artemis program is proceeding as planned on a micro level. Engineers are completing a fueling trial run of the Space Launch System rocket ahead of its trip around the Moon later this fall. On a macro level, however, a new report details how bigger picture plans for Artemis may not be progressing as planned…

NASA has announced the contract winners to build and manage the new spacesuits for the Artemis Program. The two companies that won the potential $3.5 billion award are Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace.

Following the recent Q1 2022 report from EV startup Canoo, we find the feature image rather fitting. After admitting a net loss over $125 million for the first three months of this year, Canoo is very much stuck out in the woods. With a lack of current cash on hand to realistically get through Q2, Canoo admitted “there is substantial doubt” about the company’s ability to get out of those financial woods either.

After a month of sitting out on LC-39B, NASA’s first Space Launch System Moon rocket will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building after failing to finish its Wet Dress Rehearsal three times. NASA will fix the faulty equipment and roll the rocket back out for another attempt.

The first launch of SLS, on Artemis I, has been a long time coming. With the SLS that will launch for Artemis I at the pad for its wet dress rehearsal, teams have resumed the test that was cut short last week due to valve issues.