On the second day of the 25.5-day Artemis I mission, Orion used its optical navigation camera to snap black and white photos of planet Earth. Orion uses the optical navigation camera to capture imagery of the Earth and the Moon at different phases and distances, providing an enhanced body of data to certify its [...]
NASA will host a news conference at 5 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 18, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to preview Orion’s entry into the Moon’s sphere of influence and the pair of maneuvers that will propel the spacecraft into a distant retrograde lunar orbit.
NASA and the Government of Japan on Thursday announced further contributions by Japan to Gateway, a key component of the agency’s Artemis missions for long-term lunar exploration.
A view of Earth as seen from the Artemis I Orion capsule about 9 hours into flight on Nov. 16, 2022. (Image credit: NASA TV)Following a successful launch on Wednesday, Nov. 16, NASA’s uncrewed Orion spacecraft is heading toward the Moon on a 25.5-day mission beyond the lunar surface. Orion lifted off atop the [...]
The interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) completed its approximately 18-minute trans-lunar injection (TLI) burn and the spacecraft has separated from the stage. Orion fired its auxiliary thrusters to move a safe distance away from the expended stage and the spacecraft is on its way to the Moon. NASA will hold a postlaunch news conference [...]
The perigee raise maneuver has been successfully completed. The interim cryogenic propulsion stage fired for just over 20 seconds to raise the lowest point of Orion’s Earth orbit in preparation for the critical trans-lunar injection burn that will send Orion to the Moon. The trans-lunar injection burn is currently targeted for about 3:14 a.m. EST [...]
Orion’s solar arrays have completed their deployment. The arrays are drawing power, and early data suggests good performance. The next milestone will be a perigee raise maneuver targeted for approximately 2:41 a.m. EST to raise Orion’s orbit in preparation for the critical trans-lunar injection that will send Orion to the Moon. [...]
Following a successful launch of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, the agency’s Orion spacecraft is on its way to the Moon as part of the Artemis program.
Space Launch System core stage main engine cutoff is complete, and the core stage has separated from the interim cryogenic propulsion stage and Orion spacecraft. The next milestone is deployment of Orion’s solar arrays, scheduled to begin approximately 18 minutes after launch.
The service module fairing and launch abort system have successfully separated from the Orion spacecraft. The SLS core stage will continue to fire until about 8 minutes after launch.