As Tuesday ticked into Wednesday, the rocket Artemis I launched out of Cape Canaveral, FL, for an unmanned mission to the moon. The mission launch had already been postponed due to fuel leaks during preliminary tests as well as Hurricane Ian, and again due to the looming Hurricane Nicole.
However, the long road to launch finally paid off as the craft lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in the wee hours of Wednesday. According to CNN, the vehicle consists of a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket topped by an Orion spacecraft capsule, which would break away from the rocket once they reached space. CNN also reports that not only did the launch go well, but the breakoff also succeeded and the Orion capsule is well on its way to the moon.
Take a look at the incredible moment the rocket took off in these Tweets:
Liftoff of Artemis I! The best remote video that I have ever captured! Stay tuned for a full video with additional angles on the @NASASpaceflight YouTube channel.https://t.co/Eb6wGo0HAz pic.twitter.com/O65F6tz2bv
— Michael Baylor (@MichaelBaylor_) November 16, 2022
When we go, we go together.
The #Artemis team wants to thank everyone who helped us along the way toward the first launch of the @NASA_SLS rocket and @NASA_Orion. pic.twitter.com/9dBSBzQ6wI
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) November 16, 2022
Yet the launch was almost a no-go again, as the fuel tanks were filled despite leaks. A “red crew” was called in to tighten up the machinery and stop the leaks – even as the tanks were already full and the rocket felt “alive,” according to one member of the red crew. The crew had been specifically trained for this situation, as scary as it was, and they solved the problem to keep the launch on its latest schedule.
The 'red crew' at @NASAKennedy heading out to the rocket on the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B. pic.twitter.com/1EImA7Z6ER
— NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) November 16, 2022
Naturally, after so long and so many aborted attempts, the anticipation for this launch online was sky-high – no pun intended. NASA, the Artemis mission’s and Orion craft’s official Twitters, and the NASA Exploration Ground Systems Twitter (seen above) were some of the top outlets reporting on all stages of the launch, along with members of NASA’s leadership and administration, such as Jim Free. Media were also invited to experience the launch, and reporters on the space beat kept those of us awake at 1:45 a.m. up to speed on the mission.
These sources of information were among the 693.3K mentions of either the Artemis mission or NASA over the last week, with a major spike in traffic and discussion on Nov. 16, the day of the launch. Sentiment toward the mission was overwhelmingly positive, with 77.5% of all that dialogue being positive. Artemis I is the first step in the United States’ plan to have humans land on the moon again within the next 15 or so years. This spacecraft is manned only by mannequins, but the next mission is expected to have live astronauts on board as NASA works closer to that goal of returning humankind to the moon.
Photos from the Orion craft show the Earth’s surface, as well as one of those mannequins, the aptly-named Moonikan Campos:
We look back at the Earth from 58,000 miles away. Find out more about the cameras Orion uses to capture this flight https://t.co/jYXdwuHcPo pic.twitter.com/SM1coVvMuk
— Orion Spacecraft (@NASA_Orion) November 16, 2022
Footage from outer space is always awe-inspiring, whether it’s from astronauts at the International Space Station or unmanned probes and rovers. This time-lapse of the voyage is no exception.
https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1593044445448278016?s=20&t=wz00_VIDr1sqKGRkD3EHIg
Orion is expected to travel a whopping 1.3 million miles, returning to Earth on Dec. 11. Based on how the craft fares, the current first crewed mission in the Artemis program is scheduled for 2024 – very soon, in the grand scheme of space travel. NASA also recently announced that Elon Musk’s SpaceX would work closely with the Artemis IV mission scheduled for landfall (moonfall?) in 2027.
.@NASA announced that @SpaceX will provide a 2nd crewed landing demo on the Moon as part of the Artemis IV mission.
With multiple planned lunar landers—from SpaceX & future partners—NASA will be better positioned to accomplish our bold missions. https://t.co/Q4BCuN7Om1
— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) November 15, 2022
Stay tuned to NASA’s social platforms for more updates on this exciting mission.
Author: Kayleigh Jackson
