Artemis Moon Program

[NMaude]

Phillip Sloss has just uploaded a video to YT concerning Artemis II's history:

As it stands, the Artemis II mission is still targeting launch a year from now, in September 2025. This video covers the evolution of the mission profile, that goes back to the early days of SLS and the post-Constellation era Orion in 2012.

Artemis II has always been the first crewed mission to fly to the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972, years before the mission was given that name. In addition to covering the history of the mission, from a lunar orbit test flight, to a co-manifested Gateway launch with the Exploration Upper Stage and SLS Block 1B, and then back to Block 1 with the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage on today's "hybrid triple" profile that culminates in an Orion lunar flyby.

The profile may be many years old, but NASA is still privately working on the fine timelines and flight day planning from minute to minute. In the meantime, we'll provide an early preview of mission events and key test objectives, from liftoff to splashdown, based on what we know today.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted

00:00 Intro
01:11 Early history and evolution of the mission profile, when it was called "Exploration Mission-2"
07:12 Preview of the "hybrid triple" mission profile and the added proximity operations demonstration
14:54 The day-long high Earth orbit and the lunar flyby
17:50 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

The wait for NASA's decision on the Orion heatshield continues and that will have a big impact on what comes next for Artemis II and III, but now there's another question for Artemis III, which is how big an effect will SpaceX's stance on the environment around their Texas launch site for Starship be for NASA's Exploration plans.

This video covers that, the post-delivery activity on the Orion and SLS hardware at Kennedy Space Center, and more on Exploration Ground Systems readiness and plans to stack SLS for Artemis II.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
01:44 Next milestones for the recently delivered Artemis II, III, and IV hardware at KSC
06:45 EGS senior manager Cliff Lanham talks to the podcast about Artemis II launch plans
20:24 Another look at the Artemis II SLS Core Stage provided by NASA Admin Bill Nelson
21:27 Starship IFT-5 delayed by environmental impact reviews
24:52 Artemis II alternatives to consider if no NASA decision is forthcoming
26:03 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

Phillip Sloss has just put out a video concerning possible heat-shield alternatives for Artemis II:

NASA has a big decision ahead about what to do with the Orion heatshield on its Artemis II spacecraft. While we're waiting for that decision to be made and then to be announced, there are a couple of alternatives to the longstanding week and a half crewed test flight to circumnavigate the Moon a year from now in September 2025.

If NASA decides not to fly Artemis II as currently planned, this video goes over those two alternatives, which would keep the four astronaut crew from launching with the current heatshield.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
01:59 Background on the history of the heatshield issue from Artemis I
03:31 One alternative: delay Artemis II, wait for a new, modified heatshield replacement
05:28 Another alternative: fly the current hardware on an uncrewed mission
07:14 What mission profile would NASA fly on another uncrewed mission?
08:08 Implications of another uncrewed mission and risks of the different alternatives/options
10:14 A look at the big picture for Artemis II ahead of a decision
12:58 Thanks for watching!

 

[publiusr]

Arty seems safe enough--radiation wise

Artemis I mission data show astronauts sent to the moon aboard Orion will be protected from radiation

According to a large team of technical and health specialists, astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will be well protected from radiation when the Artemis II mission travels to the moon and back next year.

phys.org

More
file:///C:/Users/piw10/Downloads/s41586-024-07927-7.pdf

 

[TomcatViP]

More
file:///C:/Users/piw10/Downloads/s41586-024-07927-7.pdf

This file stands on your hard drive

 

[NMaude]

Phillip Sloss has some more updates concerning Artemis II and III:

As more of the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis II stands around or lies around the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the wait for a decision by NASA leadership on Orion base heatshield options continues. While we're waiting and that continues, we're getting some reminders that the NASA and private industry workforce continues to develop and build hardware for subsequent flights

.In this video, I'll go over some test hardware that is helping to certify the rest of the Orion spacecraft to fly its first crew on Artemis II and the status of ground hardware validation testing, which is wrapping up to be ready to stack SLS when there's a decision.

There's also some overt politics and a power play between SpaceX and U.S. federal regulators that is escalating; in the video, I continue to wonder if regulatory compliance will another obstacle for Starship lunar lander development for Artemis III.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
01:14 Orion environment test article to finish crew-rating abort certifications
04:26 Exploration Ground Systems validation testing expected to wrap up soon
07:42 Artemis III Orion crew module adapter ahead of Service Module mate
09:42 A look at the big picture, starting with Artemis II
13:56 Artemis III big picture
15:38 Thanks for watching!

 

[Hicks]

The article/file that Publiusr wanted to share
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07927-7

 

[TomcatViP]

LM out of Lunar Rover team led by Lunar Outpost. Leidos stepping in instead:
(a very bizarre outcome)

Leidos replaces Lockheed Martin on Artemis rover team

Lunar Outpost has added Leidos to its Artemis lunar rover team after parting ways with Lockheed Martin.

spacenews.com

 

[FighterJock]

Strange that LM has withdrawn from the Lunar Rover team? Wonder what was behind the move?

 

[_Del_]

Strange that LM has withdrawn from the Lunar Rover team? Wonder what was behind the move?

Sounds like LM thought the IP they were bringing to the party was worth more than Lunar Outpost did.

 

[NMaude]

More updates concerning Artemis II, III and IV from Phillip Sloss:

This video covers completed milestones and current status of planning, development, assembly, and preparations for NASA's upcoming Artemis II, III, IV missions as the 3rd quarter of 2024 ends. A lot of the Artemis II hardware is ready for stacking at Kennedy Space Center, but NASA still needs to announce what it is going to do about Orion's heatshield.

Arrival of more flight hardware for the Artemis III lunar landing mission at KSC signals incremental progress in preparations, but little is known about the forward outlook. In the video, we go over why the new hardware deliveries aren't helping to clarify when the spacecraft, spacesuits, SLS, and Starship will all be ready for Artemis III.

We also recap the available status and outlook for the Artemis IV Gateway assembly and lunar landing mission projected at the end of the decade.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
01:21 The missing future outlook for upcoming Artemis missions
02:50 Quick recap of the quarter (July, August, September)
06:13 Artemis II status
12:45 Artemis II forward outlook
14:06 Artemis III status
28:15 Artemis III forward outlook
31:28 Artemis IV status
40:50 Artemis IV forward outlook
41:37 Note that the SLS forward outlook beyond Artemis IV remains cloudy
42:22 Thanks for watching!

 

[NMaude]

The mobile launcher is back at the VAB for Artemis II so the stacking of its' SRBs should be happening in the next few months:

NASA Exploration Ground Systems work crews rolled Mobile Launcher-1 from Launch Pad 39B back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center on October 3rd and 4th, but we're still no closer after the milestone to knowing when Artemis II stacking will start.

This video begins with coverage of the details of the rollback of the Mobile Launcher and a recap of the upgrades and repairs completed since the Artemis I launch two years ago. Before the ML entered the building, the SLS Core Stage was temporarily lifted out of its transportation carriers to get weight and balance measurements, and NASA provided some footage of that.

There's more Starship schedule drama between SpaceX and the FAA to recap, now that maritime and flight restriction notices for mid-October are trickling out. SpaceX is itching for the next flight test, but the FAA is still sticking with its late November forecast for a new launch license...at least for now.

While we wait for an Orion heatshield decision, there's plenty of time for another quick look at the cloudy big picture for Artemis II and III.

Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.

00:00 Intro
00:49 Mobile Launcher-1 is back in the VAB for Artemis II stacking
09:51 "Weight and cg" measurements of the Artemis II SLS Core Stage in the VAB
10:58 A quick look at the Artemis II big picture after the ML rollback
12:09 Starship IFT-5 schedule drama
14:03 Other news and notes
16:32 A similar quick look at the Artemis III big picture
18:00 Thanks for watching!

 

[publiusr]

I ain't afraid o' no 'caine

 

[FighterJock]

Any word on hurricane damage at the Cape so far? It did not look good for Florida on the BBC news this morning.

 

[Moose]

Any word on hurricane damage at the Cape so far? It did not look good for Florida on the BBC news this morning.

It was Cat 2->1 as it passed the Cape, and the wind was blowing out to sea so storm surge and wind damage wise that's a best case scenario. It was pushing tornados ahead of it but I haven't seen any reporting of one hitting the Cape.

 

[FighterJock]

Thanks Moose, That puts my head at rest now I was worried about the Cape when I saw the size of the Hurricane last night.

 

[Moose]

Thanks Moose, That puts my head at rest now I was worried about the Cape when I saw the size of the Hurricane last night.

Checked over at NSF and it looks like other than some rainfall flooding and minor wind damage the infrastructure and the homes of Space Coast workers both came through well enough. Very fortunate.

 

[Flyaway]

We have had reason to doubt the official September 2025 launch date for the mission, the first crewed flight into deep space in more than five decades, for a while now. This is principally because NASA is continuing to mull the implications of damage to the Orion spacecraft's heat shield from the Artemis I mission nearly two years ago.

However, it turns out that there are now other problems with holding to this date as well.

A new report from the US Government Accountability Office found that NASA's Exploration Ground Systems program—this is, essentially, the office at Kennedy Space Center in Florida responsible for building ground infrastructure to support the Space Launch System rocket and Orion—is in danger of missing its schedule for Artemis II.

It’s increasingly unlikely that humans will fly around the Moon next year

We’ve had reason to doubt the September 2025 launch date for this mission, the first crewed flight into deep space in more than five decades, for awhile now.

arstechnica.com

Here’s the report in question:

GAO-25-106943, NASA ARTEMIS MISSIONS: Exploration Ground Systems Program Could Strengthen Schedule Decisions

 

[Flyaway]

I suspect it may not be unrelated to this.

JPL Workforce Update

Workforce statement and memo to employees.

www.jpl.nasa.gov

 

[FighterJock]

Better get things sorted before launching Artemis 2 around the Moon because of the damage done to the Orion heatsheild after Artemis 1 re-entry.