NASA has set an aggressive launch goal for its Artemis I lunar mission following a successful "wet rehearsal" fuel test on June 20 of the SLS rocket that will carry the flight into space. In an interview with Ars Technica, Jim Free, deputy director of the agency's Exploration Systems Development Program, said this week NASA is working toward an August 23 to September 6 launch window for Aretmis 1.
"We would be foolish not to target that now. We made incredible progress last week," he said.
For those of you keeping track, NASA recently announced that following a successful fuel test of SLS, the earliest it could send Artemis I to space would be between July 26 and August 10. Instead, NASA chose the second-earliest launch window it had.
Before the flight can begin, technicians must complete final preparations for the SLS rocket - including replacing a seal that caused a leak of hydrogen during the June 20 test. NASA began rolling the SLS back to the launch vehicle assembly building at Kennedy Space Center on July 1, where crews will work on the launch vehicle.
Once Artemis 1 finally launches, it will carry an unmanned Orion module on a trip around the moon to study the effects that flight may have on the human body. Artemis II will then take four astronauts to the satellite and then land on the moon as planned sometime in the second half of this century.
