NASA's Artemis Rollout Trailer Is Something You Have To See
The launch of NASA's Artemis mission is drawing nearer, and it has just received a breathtaking trailer. Just under one minute long, the trailer grants viewers a glimpse into the world of Artemis — the upcoming mission that will mark humanity's return to the moon. According to NASA, "This is the first of Artemis' eras, capable of ushering in the next chapter of human lunar exploration."
The trailer is brilliantly made, does just enough to get everyone hyped for the upcoming moon-bound mission, and shows NASA's machinery in its full glory. However, before you get carried away dreaming of the moon, remember that we're still a while away from actual take-off.
NASA explains its Artemis plans in a lengthy and detailed document available on its website titled "The Artemis Plan". Since the inception of the plan in late 2017, NASA has been steadily working towards the new goal — sending humans back to the moon in order to advance our lunar exploration with all-new technologies. Nearly 50 years have passed since the last astronaut walked on the surface of the moon, and our capabilities have increased tremendously since then.
From the moon to Mars
NASA's Artemis mission is not a one-off thing, and this mission is said to be the first of many. With all the latest technological advancements now available, the space agency is able to plan ahead and dream big, with the first human lunar mission in 2024 set to take about a week. The ultimate goal is to establish an environment that supports living away from Earth, working on the moon, and ultimately conducting a multi-year human mission to Mars. The plans are huge, but NASA is not the only space explorer to dream big — Elon Musk hopes to colonize Mars in the future, which means that his company, SpaceX, is working on a Mars mission of its own.
Before NASA can have humans living on the moon, it has to send the first Artemis mission in that direction, and things are on track so far. The rollout is set to happen on March 17. This means NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft will be taken to their destination at Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Although this is being done in preparation for the future launch of Artemis, the launch itself is not taking place just yet.
Humans on the moon? Not yet
The first mission will not have any crew and will see Artemis 1 flying out unmanned. Once the rocket makes it to the launch pad, the team will conduct various tests to make sure everything is set for the flight. During a news conference on March 14, NASA revealed the launch rehearsal will take place on April 3, 2022, and will last about eight hours. The official launch date is not yet known, but it won't take place any sooner than May.
Artemis 1 will send the Orion craft around 280,000 miles away from Earth on a journey that will last approximately 26 days. Sending the spacecraft on this mission and then safely bringing it back to Earth will be the final test for NASA, ensuring that both the SLS and Orion itself are safe to use for manned missions.
If everything continues as planned, Artemis 2 will send the first crew on a trip around the moon, but they will not be landing on its surface — that won't happen until Artemis 3. Tentatively planned for 2025 or beyond, Artemis 3 will mark the first moon landing since 1972.