NASA’s Artemis 1 Mission Finally Takes Off Towards Moon—Another Small Step For Humankind Returning To Lunar Surface

Topline

NASA’s Artemis 1 mission finally took flight early Wednesday morning, launching a new era of human exploration after months of delays and marking a major milestone on the road to returning astronauts to the moon’s surface.

Key Facts

NASA sent its Orion spacecraft soaring into space atop its new Space Launch System on a 25-day journey to the moon and back.

The rocket, the most powerful to leave Earth, lifted off from its launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. at 1:47 a.m. ET.

The successful launch comes after engineers made last-ditch efforts to fix leaks and other technical issues detected hours before launch.

Previous launches had already been delayed by technical glitches and a hurricane, pushing the mission back months, and damage caused by Hurricane Nicole also cast doubt on this week’s launch.

Artemis 1 is not carrying astronauts to the moon—Orion reportedly carries three test dummies and a Snoopy dog plush toy—but it is testing NASA’s equipment and setting the stage for future crewed flights to the moon and back.

The capsule is scheduled to return to Earth on December 11 and crash into the ocean.

Key Background

NASA’s Artemis 1 is the first in a series of launches that seek to put humanity back on the moon, last visited during the Apollo mission in 1972. Ultimately, the agency wants to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface and, in time, on Mars. It comes at a time of renewed interest in space from governments around the world. Space is no longer exclusively a government venture and private companies, several spearheaded by billionaires including Richard Branson, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are leading the charge.

What To Watch For

Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 are scheduled to launch in 2024 and 2025. Both plan to carry crews to the moon and are expected to be the first human trips to the lunar surface since the Apollo landing in 1972. It is possible the delays to the first Artemis mission could push these dates back.

Big Number

$93 billion. That’s how much NASA will spend on the Artemis program between 2015 and 2025, the agency estimates. Each Orion launch costs an estimated $4.1 billion.

Further Reading

Artemis 1 rocket: what will the Nasa moon mission be carrying into space? (Guardian)

These six countries are about to go to the Moon — here’s why (Nature)

Branson Vs. Musk Vs. Bezos: Billionaire Space Race Heats Up As Virgin Galactic Is Cleared For Passengers (Forbes)