See Episode One: The Most Powerful Rocket NASA Has Ever Built.
See Episode Two: The Orion Spacecraft.
Video Transcript:
Throughout the nation are spiritual websites that record the spirit of Americas character and among those places is right here. The Kennedy Space.
Every single vehicle that has actually carried humans beyond the bounds of low Earth orbit has actually undergone integration and screening in that vehicle assembly structure, crawled down this street and introduced right here from the Kennedy Space.
The Space Launch System mated with the Orion spacecraft will continue this proud tradition.
As soon as we rollout of the Vehicle Assembly Building, High Bay 3, and the world gets an opportunity to see this rocket, I believe, I think it is going to be stunning.
On March 17th, NASA took a huge step towards returning mankind to the moon. The totally assembled Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I objective made its launching outside the huge Vehicle Assembly Building.
Weve seen the mobile launcher outside, and its huge, but now add an over-300-foot rocket on top of it, its just gon na be incredible.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, supervises the launch countdown, eventually providing the “go” for launch.
NTD, launch director, representing this team and all the males and women that have actually worked to make this day take place, I happily give you a go to roll the Artemis launch automobile to the pad.
Ladies and gentlemen, the worlds most effective rocket right here.
Once outside, the rocket started its almost four-mile journey to the pad, riding atop a 6.6-million-pound crawler-transporter, which was initially built to transport the Apollo Moon rocket.
In one year, we have completely stacked the vehicle, we have finished the majority of our testing, all very successful, and we are so near to release. The enjoyment is just crazy.
Now NASAs brand-new Moon rocket is making the exact same journey the Saturn V took 50 years back.
And just as all eyes are on the SLS tonight as it makes its journey. In a couple of short weeks, all eyes are going to be on the sky as it rocks the Space coast and takes its first flight around the Moon.
It is incredible to see the conclusion of all of this work of many years from numerous industries of many individuals that have reoccured to have a chance to then now see their work visiting the pad and then introducing to go to the Moon.
The rocket is rolling to historical launch complex 39B– its launch pad used for both Apollo and shuttle bus launches, sending out hundreds of astronauts to space throughout the decades and now on tap to send hundreds more as we go back to the Moon and venture beyond to Mars.
For this mission, there will be no astronauts on board.
Before the uncrewed Artemis I stack can introduce to our nearby heavenly body, it has to travel to the pad for a wet dress rehearsal– a test run of rocket, capsule, launch group and launch pad through their rates simulating a launch countdown.
When we get to the pad, the pad team will be connecting all the user interfaces in between the pad and mobile launcher so that we can go ahead and start our operations at the pad. At that point the launch director actually takes over and she will go down the sequence as if it was really a regular launch day.
Wet gown wedding rehearsal is basically launch without a launch. It is truly the factor were doing it is to confirm and validate all of the pieces that go into launch countdown.
So wet dress is really our chance to discover any issues or changes that we need to make in our launch countdown.
For Artemis I, the wet gown wedding rehearsal is the final and most vital test before the rocket can go back to the launch pad for liftoff to the Moon. Throughout the countdown, over 730,000 gallons of super-cooled liquid propellants will be loaded into the rocket as part of the almost two-day launch countdown.
We will set up all of the ground systems exactly the way we would for launch, and we will totally pack the core stage and the interim cryo propulsion stage with their liquid fuels.
Thatll be the very first time that thats been done from here at Kennedy Space Center. There have been pieces of these things performed in numerous various areas. Weve tested all of these systems in several various locations, but this will be the first time where we pull everything together and do all of it all in the very same progression that weve got laid out for launch countdown.
Wet dress is the greatest turning point we have aside from launch since that indicates that the rocket is now created, has been checked individually and together and it is ready to be and go filled with fuel to mimic how were gon na to do it at the pad and then it tells us the rocket is prepared to go for launch.
And, behind that damp dress practice session is a launch group comprised of hundreds of engineers keeping an eye on each system of the 320-foot-tall Artemis I rocket and capsule.
Sitting in firing room 1 is the core launch control team, keeping track of hundreds of launch devote criteria to make sure the ground systems and flight hardware are ready for launch.
Now you would believe that launch control team in shooting space 1 is it, thats all you need. We have an expansive assistance group throughout actually the whole NASA enterprise that is supporting us on launch day.
And that assistance covers the whole nation, from extra system engineers sitting in Kennedys Firing Room 2, to the flight control team at Johnson Space Center in Houston, to the specialists responsible for developing each section and designing of the rocket and capsule.
This team is really shaping up to be a great, really proficient and ready to run and execute launch for Artemis I.
With the Artemis I release team now completely licensed, and the damp gown wedding rehearsal complete, SLS and Orion are ready for their final pitstop: returning to the VAB prior to venturing back to Launch Pad 39B for liftoff.
I mean we are going, and we are fitting, and we are having an opportunity to do this in a brand-new generation of space expedition in which I can say that Im really a part of.
You know, you come every day to the VAB and you see the rocket and you cant think what we have accomplished.
People throughout history have constantly explored and you never know what youre going to discover.
Expedition is not constantly about the location, however its the path that you travel, the important things you learn along the method.
And the things were going to learn are going to be amazing. We cant even begin to understand what those are today.
Our workforce has actually been a relentless spirit. We imagine, we build, we never stop forging ahead of what is possible.
NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, August 17, 2022, after being rolled out to the launch pad at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first incorporated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than August 29. Thatll be the first time that thats been done from here at Kennedy Space. Weve checked all of these systems in numerous different locations, however this will be the first time where we pull it all together and do all of it all in the same progression that weve got laid out for launch countdown.
NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, August 17, 2022, after being rolled out to the launch pad at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Introduce of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than August 29.
Prior To our Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft can introduce our country into a brand-new period of spaceflight, the duo should initially undergo a wet dress practice session at the launch pad prior to liftoff.
View SLS and Orion advance their path to the pad as they travel to Kennedy Space Centers Launch Pad 39B for a complete countdown practice session– an operation involving numerous engineers stationed all across the country.