What is the current status of the Artemis I mission?
NASA’s William Hartwell Updates on Artemis I and Future ESMs
Acting Associate Administrator William Hartwell of the Exploration and Shared Services Office (ESMO) at NASA has provided an update on the status of the Artemis I launch and plans for the future.
Artemis I
The Artemis I mission, set to launch in 2021, will be the first human flight for the Space Launch System (SLS), a new rocket that will be used to transport astronauts to the Moon.
The mission will also be used to test the Orion spacecraft and components of the Lunar Gateway, a space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a staging post for future lunar missions.
Security and Contingency Planning
Hartwell emphasized that NASA is investing heavily in both security and contingency planning for the Artemis I mission.
The safety of astronauts onboard the Orion spacecraft is a top priority, and NASA is working to ensure that measures such as life support, propulsion and communication systems are robust enough to cope with any unforeseen incident during the mission.
Future Exploration Support Missions
As well as providing an update on the Artemis I mission, Hartwell discussed plans for future Exploration Support Missions (ESMs).
ESMs are missions that will Space Launch System and Orion to send robotic probes to explore the solar system.
Hartwell stated that NASA is looking at “bold ideas for exploration” and that the agency is “engaging partners and mission concepts such as robotic sample return from a comet or asteroid and Europa exploration.”
He also discussed plans for crewed ESMs, in which astronauts can “use the SLS and the unique capabilities of Orion to reach more challenging destinations such as an asteroid or the moons of Mars.”
By investing in bold ideas and pushing the boundaries of exploration, NASA will be able to continue innovation and progress in space.
NASA’s William Hartwell recently held a press conference to discuss the upcoming Artemis I launch mission and the upcoming new Exploration Systems Model (ESMs). During the press conference, Hartwell provided an overview of NASA’s modern vision for exploration and detailed the importance of the Artemis I mission.
At the heart of the Artemis program is a mission to send astronauts to the Moon by 2024. The first step in this mission is Artemis I, the first of two demonstration flights for the Orion spacecraft. An uncrewed launch, Artemis I will be the first mission to send the Orion spacecraft to the lunar vicinity for a three week duration. Hartwell stated that the goal of the mission is to “verify the integrated health, safety, and performance of the whole system from launch to return.”
In addition to the Artemis I mission, Hartwell noted the importance of the Exploration Systems Model (ESM), a model that will provide guidance in the planning and analysis of future mission plans. Valued for their long-term insight, ESMs will be crucial in developing strategies for future expedition ventures.
The Artemis program is a critical step towards the realization of future space exploration. By including programs like the Artemis I mission and ESMs, NASA is paving the way for future generations of astronauts to explore worlds beyond our own. Hartwell believes that the Artemis mission is just the beginning of human exploration and that “we’re on the brink of an age of expanding space exploration.”
With the knowledge and insight gained from programs like the Artemis I mission and the ESMs, the possibilities of future exploration are growing every day. NASA’s recent press conference provided an illuminating glimpse into their plans for a new generation of exploration and adventure.