The Orion capsule will orbit the Moon on the first Artemis mission , which is expected to lift off from the planet in late August.
NASA is getting everything ready for the launch of Artemis I , the first mission of its program that wants to put humanity back on the Moon after decades of absence.
With a launch window at the end of August, the SLS rocket and Orion capsule are being docked and tested to finalize what will be a historic date .
What is Artemis I
Artemis I is the first step for the moon landing now scheduled for 2025 .
In this mission, the Space Launch System ( SLS ) rocket, NASA ‘s most powerful , will propel the Orion capsule into lunar orbit to obtain data for the next two missions: one with astronauts to the satellite and another including the moon landing.
Artemis I will launch from Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at the Kennedy Space Center, collecting scientific data and testing new technology. The mission launch window will open on August 29, and the agency will broadcast the entire launch event live on its website .
Before the event, the nearly 100-meter-tall SLS needs to be brought to the launch pad, which is scheduled for August 18.
NASA is also working on final preparations for the launch. This includes testing the system that can terminate the launch in the event of an emergency, called the flight termination system test. Once this is complete, the access platforms allowing crew access to the rocket will retract and deployment can begin.
Goes with his own Alexa
Artemis I will carry Callisto, a technology payload integrated into the capsule.
Within it, the most curious is Alexa, the intelligent system from Amazon .
Alexa will be able to access real-time telemetry data and answer thousands of mission-specific questions aboard Orion , including questions like “Alexa, how fast is Orion traveling?” or “Alexa, what is the temperature in the cabin?” Alexa will even process requests to control connected devices on board the spacecraft, starting with lighting in the cabin.
The prepared crew compartment on the Orion spacecraft for the unmanned Artemis I mission will include two female mannequins that will be exposed to the radiation environment along lunar orbit, including solar storms and galactic cosmic rays. One of the dummies will be protected with the AstroRad vest while the other will be unprotected. The manikins will provide the opportunity to accurately measure radiation exposure not only at the body surface, but also at the exact location of sensitive organs and tissues within the human body.
Besides, as a secondary load, it will carry small CubeSats that will be deployed in space for multiple functions.