{"id":36141,"date":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T14:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=36141"},"modified":"2022-09-21T10:25:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T10:25:46","slug":"artemis-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/2022\/09\/15\/artemis-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"Artemis begins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As Artemis I takes the first step in NASA\u2019s plan to return humans to the Moon, Shaoni Bhattacharya <\/strong>talks to the people behind the wider series of missions <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Primed for flight, Artemis I\u2019s Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew module\u2026 with their lunar target in sight<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

This year heralds the first crucial stage in NASA\u2019s ambitious plans to put \u2018boots back on the Moon\u2019, as Artemis I gets ready for launch. <\/p>\n\n

Artemis I is an uncrewed flight test of two new space systems: the world\u2019s most powerful rocket \u2013 the Space Launch System \u2013 and the Orion crew spacecraft. It will travel to the Moon, skimming 100km above its surface before entering a retrograde orbit that takes it 70,000km beyond the lunar far side and returns to Earth 4\u20136 weeks later. Though it will have no human crew this time around, it will deploy multiple CubeSats to perform a range of science experiments. <\/p>\n\n

Should all go well, Artemis II will take a four-person crew to lunar orbit and back no earlier than 2024. Finally, Artemis III aims to send astronauts to the lunar surface in 2025, with NASA vowing to put the first woman on the Moon and the first person of colour. Beyond this are plans for building the Lunar Gateway, a staging post in lunar orbit that will enable humans to stay at the Moon for months at a time. To learn more about the programme, we spoke to key figures across the Artemis project. <\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Orion\u2019s first flight<\/h4>\n\n

The Orion module will house future crews bound for the Moon and for deep space beyond. Its manager Debbie <\/strong>Korth <\/strong>reveals how Artemis I will put the new spacecraft through its paces <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A prototype Orion module in splashdown testing. The new generation of spacecraft can carry up to six astronauts <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

How will Artemis I test the Orion crew and service module before it carries humans in Artemis II?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

There are several big systems that we want to check out. The Orion capsule has a 4.9m diameter heat shield \u2013 we need to see how that performs. Orion will come back from the Moon at about 40,000km\/h and the heat shield will get to about 2,750\u02daC. <\/p>\n\n

Another objective is our entry, descent and landing back on Earth. At around 480km\/h, the 11 parachutes start deploying. When the capsule hits the water, it\u2019s got to be at 32km\/h or less. That whole sequence is a very orchestrated set of events we\u2019ll be testing. <\/p>\n\n

Finally, there\u2019s the Crew Module Uprighting System, which deploys a series of bags and balloons [to keep Orion floating] until the recovery crew picks it up. <\/p>\n\n

What are the major challenges with building Orion compared with past vehicles?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

One of the biggest ones is the overall mass. We\u2019re trying to build a spacecraft that\u2019s robust and can support four people for 21 days. But it\u2019s also got to be light enough that you can actually fly it.<\/p>\n\n

The other is distance. The Space Shuttle and the International Space Station went to low-Earth orbit a couple of hundred kilometres up \u2013 we\u2019re going 385,000km to the Moon. If you have a problem, coming home can take up to three days, so Orion has many redundant [back-up] systems. Our Launch Abort System on top of the Orion capsule is also quite unique. If there\u2019s a problem during the launch, it can pull the spacecraft off immediately. There\u2019s a lot more safety-critical redundancy built into this vehicle than in the past. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A series of parachutes will slow the module to 32km\/h before it hits the Pacific <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n

Orion\u2019s first test flight will last longer and travel further than any Moon mission that has gone before <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. SLS and Orion launch from Kennedy Space Center; boosters and core stage jettisoned. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Orion and the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) reach Earth orbit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. A 20-minute trans-lunar injection burn propels Orion towards the Moon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Orion separates from ICPS. ICPS takes dotted grey line to a disposal orbit around the Sun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. First lunar fly-by, 100km from the surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Orion enters a distant retrograde orbit (DRO) around the Moon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. At its furthest point, Orion is 64,000km from the Moon\u2019s surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Orion leaves DRO and begins return to Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Second fly-by of the lunar surface; thrusters fire to begin Orion\u2019s return coast to Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Orion\u2019s crew module separates from the service module. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Atmospheric entry at 39,500km\/h. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Orion\u2019s splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, with recovery by the US Navy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. B. C. ICPS deploys its 10 CubeSats at the points shown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

MISSION DURATIONS<\/strong>
Total: 26\u201342 days. Outbound transit: 8\u201314 days. DRO stay: 6\u201319 days. Return transit: 9\u201319 days. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The Launch Abort System, designed to carry the crew to safety in the event of an emergency during launch or ascent <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

When Artemis I launches, what are the key moments when you\u2019ll be holding your breath?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

For me, I think the first \u2018Ahhh\u2019 moment will be when the Launch Abort System separates from the spacecraft. That means we\u2019ve achieved a safe orbit, we no longer need to have the ability to pull the crew module off. <\/p>\n\n

Getting into orbit around the Moon will be another, \u2018Wow, we made it!\u2019 moment. This spacecraft is going further than any human-rated spacecraft ever. We\u2019re going not just to the Moon 385,000km away, but another 64,000km beyond that. In pictures from the spacecraft you\u2019ll be able to see the Moon and Earth \u2013 ‘I think it\u2019s going to be beautiful.’<\/p>\n\n

The third thing will be the landing back on Earth. That\u2019s when we are really going to prove our systems. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The assembled crew and service module stack being readied for testing in 2019 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

If all goes to plan with Artemis I, what are your dreams for the programme?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

To me, Artemis I and II are proving out flights. What I\u2019m most looking ahead to is Artemis III, when we have boots on the Moon again. That to me is really exciting. I have three kids; two are daughters and one\u2019s in high school. When I talk to her about putting a woman on the Moon she says, \u201cWhat! A woman never went?\u201d. That\u2019s what I\u2019m really looking forward to. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

How to train an astronaut<\/h4>\n\n

A lunar mission is a mammoth undertaking, demanding a lot from its crew. Jacki <\/strong>Mahaffey, <\/strong>lead chief training officer for Artemis II, tells us how the astronauts will prepare <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The Artemis astronauts, clockwise from top left: Joseph Acaba, Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, Matthew Dominick, Victor Glover, Warren Hoburg, Jonny Kim, Christina H Koch, Kjell Lindgren, Stephanie Wilson, Jessica Watkins, Scott Tingle, Frank Rubio, Kate Rubins, Jasmin Moghbeli, Jessica Meir, Anne McClain and Nicole A Mann. The mission plans to put the first woman and person of colour on the Moon <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Eighteen astronauts have been selected for NASA\u2019s \u2018Artemis Team\u2019 to support missions to the Moon. Following Artemis I, four NASA astronauts will be selected by the end of this year to fly to lunar orbit with Artemis II. <\/p>\n\n

Since the training for this mission is brand new, Jacki Mahaffey from Johnson Space Center in Houston is leading a team of instructors not only to conduct astronaut training, but also to draw up the Artemis training programme. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cWe start with training for the Orion capsule and launching on the Space Launch System (SLS) because the Artemis II mission will be a figure-8 around the Moon,\u201d she said. \u201cThen we\u2019ll continue to grow as we add the [Lunar] Lander and Gateway and learn how to use suits to do moonwalks and all sorts of things.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

During Apollo crew training in the 1960s, one of the main tasks was learning to navigate the dizzying array of switches and systems in the spacecraft, but a lot has changed in the last 50 years. <\/p>\n\n

\u201cOne of the big differences between the earlier missions and what we have now is much more computer power and automation capability,\u201d says Mahaffey. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot fewer switches and circuit breakers in the Orion capsule than you would have seen on the Shuttle or in an Apollo capsule.<\/p>\n\n

\"\"
What the next moonwalker will wear. Spacesuit engineer Kristine Davis in the new \u2018extravehicular mobility unit\u2019 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

\u201cBut it leaves an interesting puzzle. The reason that we\u2019re flying humans is because we have this unique capability to synthesise the unexpected. But maybe we didn\u2019t anticipate something when we built the computer. Can the crew understand what the computer has been trying to do, and then insert themselves into that process to achieve mission success? A big part of our training is to give them enough background on what the vehicle is doing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Looking forward to the Moon landing of Artemis III, the lunar environment hasn\u2019t changed at all since Apollo \u2013 it\u2019s still dusty with one-sixth the gravity of Earth. The landing will happen near the southern pole and the low Sun will cast many more shadows than the more equatorial Apollo landings. One area that has improved, however, is the space suits, which are much better fitting, with more mobility, meaning astronauts should be able to bounce-walk across the surface with ease.<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Gateway to the Moon<\/h4>\n\n

Dan Hartman, <\/strong>programme manager for NASA\u2019s Lunar Gateway, tells us about the ambitious project to construct a permanent space station in orbit around the Moon <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
The Gateway will host astronauts on their way to the Moon and potentially even Mars <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The Lunar Gateway will sit in an elliptical orbit: we\u2019ll get within 10,000km of the Moon and then out to about 70,000km. And every six-and-a-half days we\u2019ll make a complete revolution. <\/p>\n\n

It\u2019ll be maybe one-eighth of the size of the ISS and is going to be human-tended, nominally for 30 days but we can go to 60 or 90 days. Even though it\u2019s not permanently crewed, we are going to run research on the Lunar Gateway 24\/7, 365 days a year. The first two elements of the Gateway \u2013 the PPE (Power Propulsion Element) and HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) \u2013 are planned to fly up on a Falcon Heavy rocket within the next few years, and will take about a year to get to the Moon using solar electric power propulsion. So the initial Gateway would be in place and ready to accommodate the first crew of Artemis IV in late 2026. <\/p>\n\n

It will have a lot of similarities with the International Space Station: a cupola, so the crew can see out; exercise devices and sleep stations. But [for the crew] it\u2019s more of a camping trip than a six-month hotel stay like the ISS. Artemis III is our fastest, least complex way to get a crew to the surface. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Like the ISS, the Gateway will be habitable, but it won\u2019t have permanent crew <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Every mission after that is going to come to the Gateway. It will be an aggregation point. Ahead of a mission we\u2019ll launch the supplies, research tools, EVA suits, all those kinds of things, as well as the human landing system. <\/p>\n\n

Finally, the four crew will come on an Orion. [Once on board] two crew get in a lander and go to the surface of the Moon, while two crew stay on the Gateway and do research or maintenance.<\/p>\n\n

Thinking forward to potential Mars missions, the Gateway offers a place to fine-tune modules before you put the crew in there to head off on an 18-month journey to Mars and back.<\/p>\n\n

We\u2019re building the Gateway to last 15 years. Just like the ISS, which extended its life based on how well it\u2019s performing, I fully envision us doing the same on Gateway. It wouldn\u2019t surprise me if we\u2019re good for 20 or 25 years.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\n\n

Small spacecraft, big science<\/h4>\n\n

Ten shoebox-sized CubeSats are hitching a ride on top of the Artemis I mission. We meet Andres <\/strong>Martinez, <\/strong>programme executive for NASA\u2019s Small Spacecrafts, to find out more <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
A secondary payload for Artemis I, Lunar IceCube will map water on the Moon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

How many CubeSats are on board Artemis I?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

There are 10 CubeSats installed alongside Artemis I. Seven of them are sponsored by NASA; four are under my responsibility. We also have three international CubeSats aboard. When you see the size of these CubeSats, and look into the incredible science that we\u2019re going to be conducting, your first reaction is \u2018no way!\u2019, because they\u2019re the size of a shoebox. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"
CubeSats being installed inside the SLS\u2019s Orion Stage Adapter in 2021 <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

What sort of science will your four CubeSats be conducting?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The first is called Lunar IceCube and is led by Morehead State University in eastern Kentucky, with 100 university students participating. Lunar IceCube will orbit the Moon for six months and has an incredible infrared spectrometer. It will document where water is on the Moon and its daily movement. <\/p>\n\n

The second one, LunIR, is led by Lockheed Martin. It doesn\u2019t have any propulsion, but will travel on a ballistic trajectory straight to the Moon. Over the 72 minutes that it goes by the Moon it\u2019s going to take some incredible high-resolution images with a very sophisticated infrared instrument. <\/p>\n\n

The third is the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout, led by Marshall Space Flight Center. It will rendezvous with an asteroid, take images and send those back to us. It will use a 80m2 <\/sup>solar sail \u2013 the size of a bus \u2013 as its main propulsion system. The target asteroid is about the size of a Volkswagen. <\/p>\n\n

The fourth mission is BioSentinel, led by Ames, which will send live biology further into space than ever before, namely yeast. We are going to put BioSentinel in a heliocentric orbit, trailing behind Earth. As we expect solar events to take place, it will go through very harmful radiation and we\u2019re going to document the effects on live organisms. <\/p>\n\n

Do you have a favourite CubeSat?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

I\u2019m very fond of Lunar IceCube because I saw many kids grow up during the project. A couple were a little cocky, but I could see fear in some of them \u2013 especially when I walked into the room in a suit with a NASA pin. The first thing I would tell them was \u201cI\u2019m one of you. NASA is on your team.\u201d What makes me super-happy is that a lot of these kids have now graduated and come to work here at NASA. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Shaoni Bhattacharya is a science writer and editor, as well as a short fiction author<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n\n

Photos: NASA\/CORY HUSTON, NASA , NASA\/TONY GRAY AND KEVIN O\u2019CONNELL, NASA\/RAD SINYAK, NASA\/BILL INGALLS, NASA\/JOEL KOWSKY), ILLUSTRATION: NASA\/ALBERTO BERTOLIN, <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We talk to the people behind NASA\u2019s audacious series of missions heading for the Moon and beyond<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":36140,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"36","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"36","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_36-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_36-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"October-2022","purple_external_id":"October-2022-36-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"October-2022-36-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000086557||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000086557||","purple_android_product":"com.im.skyatnight.209","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.skyatnight.209","purple_ios_product":"com.im.skyatnight.209","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.skyatnight.209","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"075fab74-0a21-4201-866a-899d6c41c40c","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[88,14],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"13","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce.jpg",1448,2048,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce-212x300.jpg",212,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce-768x1086.jpg",768,1086,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce-724x1024.jpg",724,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce-1086x1536.jpg",1086,1536,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2022\/09\/a3e10bbc-e742-4403-a8a6-04c5c61b62ce.jpg",1448,2048,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"We talk to the people behind NASA\u2019s audacious series of missions heading for the Moon and beyond","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36141"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36903,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36141\/revisions\/36903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}