The team awoke at their crew quarters inside Kennedys Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkouts building before placing on test versions of the Orion team survival system spacesuits they will use on launch day. They then departed in NASAs brand-new Artemis crew transportation fleet to take them to Launch Pad 39B, passing through the nine-mile journey to the pad. Wiseman and Glover headed over in the first electrical vehicle as Koch and Hansen followed them in the second.
Credit: NASA
At the Launch Pad
Upon arrival at the pad, the team headed onto the mobile launcher and continued up the tower to the white space inside the team access arm. From this location, the astronauts will have access to get in and leave the Orion spacecraft– just for this test, there was no Orion or SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
” When we strolled out that team gain access to arm, I simply had pictures of all those Apollo launches and shuttle bus launches that I viewed as a kid and it was unbelievable,” Glover said. “I actually had to stop and simply stay in the moment to truly let all of it sink in.”
Artemis II NASA astronauts (left to right) Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen stand in the white space on the team gain access to arm of the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. Credit: NASA
Significance of the Test
Successful completion of this test guarantees both the ground and the crew systems groups at Kennedy are prepared and comprehend the timeline of their occasions for launch day.
Artist rendering of NASAs Orion spacecraft. Credit: Lockheed Martin
Artemis II Mission Overview
NASAs Artemis II mission is an essential action in the firms ambitious plans to return human beings to the Moon and consequently send them to Mars. This objective is not simply a precursor however also a declaration of intent. As NASAs very first flight with team aboard the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, Artemis II is tasked with a journey around the Moon. Its main goal? To validate that the spacecrafts systems function perfectly with a crew in the deep-space environment.
The journey begins at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 4 astronauts will board the Orion spacecraft, powered by the SLS rocket in its Block 1 configuration.
Throughout its trajectory, the team will be hands-on, piloting Orion throughout distance operations and assessing numerous systems. This includes checking life support systems during various metabolic states, like exercise and sleep. Theyll also evaluate interaction and navigation systems, ensuring preparedness for the lunar flyby. In essence, the extended period around Earth is a detailed space systems test bed.
As Orion flits past the Moon, the crew will have a special perspective– viewing both the Moon and Earth from deep space. The lunar flyby, though brief, is a visual testimony to the journeys function. Following this, the spacecraft will make use of the gravitational forces of both heavenly bodies to effectively return home, a journey that takes roughly four days.
Artemis II is a prologue. It sets the stage for Artemis III, where history will be made as the next man and the very first lady walk on the Moon. NASAs vision expands even further, with annual crewed objectives planned, all contributing to developing capabilities for a long-awaited Mars expedition.
Artemis II astronauts, from left, NASA astronaut Victor Glover (left), CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman stand on the team access arm of the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, September 20. The test guarantees the ground systems team is prepared to support the team timeline on launch day. Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
The Artemis II crew and NASA effectively carried out a simulated launch day test at the Kennedy Space Center, preparing for their upcoming Moon objective.
The Artemis II crew and teams with NASAs Exploration Ground Systems Program successfully completed the first in a series of incorporated ground system evaluates at the agencys Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for their objective around the Moon.
Astronauts Simulate Launch Day Procedures
On Wednesday, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, in addition to CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, practiced the procedures they will undergo on launch day to prepare for their ride to space.
Artemis II astronauts, from left, NASA astronaut Victor Glover (left), CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman stand on the crew access arm of the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, September 20. The test ensures the ground systems team is ready to support the crew timeline on launch day. The crew awoke at their crew quarters inside Kennedys Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkouts structure before putting on test variations of the Orion team survival system spacesuits they will wear on launch day. They then left in NASAs new Artemis team transport fleet to take them to Launch Pad 39B, traversing the nine-mile journey to the pad. As NASAs first flight with team aboard the brand-new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, Artemis II is charged with a journey around the Moon.