NASA has successfully completed the assembly of the Space Launch System rocket to return a man to the moon, the launch will take place in 2022
That the last piece of rocket equipment has been successfully mounted on the Space Launch launch vehicle System, which is going to implement the mission of Artemis I became known from the official message NASA.
We are talking about the so-called adapter, with the help of which the Orion capsule, produced specifically for this mission by Boeing, will be attached to the rocket at the head.
This means that all that remains is to secure the capsule itself and the emergency evacuation system, and the rocket will be ready to send a person to the moon.
Artemis I's mission and objectives
So during the first launch, which according to the plan will take place in 2022, there will be no crew in the capsule. But the so-called ICPS intermediate installation will still perform the maneuver and give the necessary momentum to the capsule to send it to the moon.
For reference. The Artemis I mission (Artemis 1) is NASA's planned autonomous flight of the Orion spacecraft under the Artemis program. So, according to the plan, the Orion spacecraft will spend approximately three weeks in space, including three days directly in the orbit of the Moon. If everything goes smoothly, then a manned flight will be performed already in the Artemis II mission.
During the manned launch, the ICPS installation will be replaced by the Exploration Upper Stage, which will immediately increase the payload mass by 40%, which can be delivered to the lunar orbit.
Also, during the implementation of the Artemis I mission, ten CubeSat. They will allow testing various systems of the spacecraft, performing the necessary measurements, as well as assessing the effect of cosmic radiation on living organisms.
Initially, the launch of the test rocket was supposed to take place in 2021, but due to delays and delays, the schedule was shifted by several quarters.
Well, let's see if we manage to complete the flight at the appointed time or if circumstances intervene again, and the return of a person to the moon will again be postponed for several quarters.
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