Apollo's Successor Is Back Home in Florida to Mark the End of 2022...

NASA

Artemis I Orion Spacecraft Returns to Kennedy Space Center (News Release)

After its 1.4-million-mile mission beyond the Moon and back, the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission arrived back at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on December 30. The capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 11 and was transported by truck across the country from Naval Base San Diego in California to Kennedy’s Multi-Payload Processing Facility in Florida.

Now that Orion is back at Kennedy, technicians will remove payloads from the capsule as part of de-servicing operations, including Commander Moonikin Campos, zero-gravity indicator Snoopy, and the official flight kit. Orion’s heat shield and other elements will be removed for extensive analysis, and remaining hazards will be offloaded.

Artemis I was a major step forward as part of NASA’s lunar exploration efforts and sets the stage for the next mission of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion to fly crew around the Moon on Artemis II.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

NASA Gets Ready to Test New Flight Hardware for the Space Launch System's Block 1B Variant...

NASA

Stennis Continues Preparation for Exploration Upper Stage Testing (News Release - December 21)

Crews at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, lift the 75-ton interstage simulator test component into place at the B-2 Test Stand on December 15. The test component, 31 feet in diameter and 33 feet tall, will be used during Green Run testing of the new Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), which will fly on future Space Launch System missions as NASA continues its mission to explore the universe for the benefit of all.

The lift exercise served multiple purposes for the NASA Stennis test complex personnel. Overall, crews used the component as a “pathfinder” for the EUS unit, which helped train lift crews on best practices for moving and handling the actual flight hardware when it arrives.

Although the simulator is not exactly the size of the EUS unit, lifting the component into place on the B-2 Test Stand allowed crews to simulate procedures and techniques for handling the flight hardware. The lift also allowed crews to check the test stand clearances to ensure all is configured as needed for the EUS unit.

Several key test stand elements must be nearly perfectly aligned for EUS. The simulator lift and install helped crews take precise measurements to ensure those elements are properly placed.

Finally, the lift allowed operators to return the simulator to proper placement on the B-2 tarmac following its removal from the test stand on December 16. The simulator had been resting on temporary supports since its arrival in September.

With the simulator now placed and leveled on proper tarmac pedestals, the NASA Stennis team will perform finishing work in the coming months to prepare the simulator for full installation onto the test stand. This will include finishing access platforms and precision interfaces prior to sandblasting and painting the test component.

The final step prior to installation will be installing various piping and tubing, as well as wiring connections needed for Green Run testing. By the time the simulator is re-installed on the stand, its weight will have increased to 80 tons.

EUS is being built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as a more powerful second stage to send the Orion spacecraft to deep space. EUS is expected to fly on the Artemis IV mission.

Before that, it will be installed on the B-2 Test Stand at NASA Stennis to undergo a series of Green Run tests of its integrated systems to demonstrate it is ready to fly.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Danny Nowlin


NASA / Danny Nowlin

The ISS Gets a New Set of Solar Wings Almost Three Weeks After Receiving the Previous One...

NASA / Frank Rubio

NASA Spacewalkers Install Station’s Fourth Roll-Out Solar Array (News Release)

Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio of NASA concluded their spacewalk at 3:27 p.m. EST after 7 hours and 8 minutes.

Cassada and Rubio completed their major objectives for today to install an International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) on the 4A power channel on the port truss. The iROSAs will increase power generation capability by up to 30%, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

It was the 257th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, upgrades and maintenance, and was the third spacewalk for both astronauts.

Cassada and Rubio are in the midst of a planned six-month science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

While Thursday’s spacewalk was underway, NASA Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano and Roscosmos Human Spaceflight Executive Director Sergei Krikalev participated in an audio-only media teleconference. The two space executives discussed the ongoing investigation of an external leak detected on the Soyuz MS-22 crew ship.

Ground teams continue to assess data and options for the safe return of crew to Earth.

Listen to the teleconference here.

Source: NASA.Gov

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A new solar array, just installed by astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio, is now being unrolled outside the @Space_Station. This is the fourth of six new solar arrays planned for the station, which will increase its power generation capability by 30% once complete. pic.twitter.com/v6Oad5aV0P

— NASA (@NASA) December 22, 2022

Apollo's Successor Is Finally on Its Way Back to Florida...

U.S. Navy

Artemis I Orion Spacecraft Departs Naval Base San Diego (News Release)

The Artemis I Orion spacecraft is on its way back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After completing a 25.5-day, 1.4-million-mile journey beyond the Moon and back on December 11, the spacecraft was recovered from the Pacific Ocean and transported to U.S. Naval Base San Diego, where engineers prepared the spacecraft for its trek by truck to Kennedy.

Orion is scheduled to arrive at Kennedy’s Multi-Payload Processing Facility by the end of the year.

Once at Kennedy, technicians will open the hatch and unload several payloads, including Commander Moonikin Campos, zero-gravity indicator Snoopy, and the official flight kit as part of de-servicing operations. In addition to removing the payloads, Orion’s heat shield and other elements will be removed for analysis, and remaining hazards will be offloaded.

NASA has also released new aerial footage of Orion’s descent through the clouds and splashdown taken from an Unmanned Aircraft System or drone. View new imagery of the spacecraft’s return to Earth here.

Source: NASA.Gov

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🚨 New, absolutely incredible @NASA_Orion footage to cure your Tuesday blues! 🚨

Orion splashed down on Dec. 11, bringing the @NASAArtemis I mission to a close. pic.twitter.com/YehusUeFI1

— Lockheed Martin Space (@LMSpace) December 20, 2022

Images of the Day: Flight Hardware for the Space Launch System's Third Mission Continues to Undergo Fabrication...

Eric Bordelon

Liquid Hydrogen Tank for Artemis III Moves on to Next Phase of Production (Photo Release)

Technicians at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans move the liquid hydrogen tank of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to Cell A for white light scans of the tank’s dimensions in preparation of multiple join activities throughout the manufacturing process. The flight hardware will be used for Artemis III, one of the first crewed Artemis missions.

The liquid hydrogen tank holds 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen cooled to minus 432 degrees Fahrenheit and is the largest of the five elements that make up the rocket’s 212-foot-tall core stage. The liquid hydrogen tank is situated between the core stage’s intertank and engine section.

The liquid hydrogen hardware, along with the liquid oxygen tank, will provide propellant to the four RS-25 engines at the bottom of the core stage to produce more than two million pounds of thrust to launch NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon. Together with its four RS-25 engines, the rocket’s massive 212-foot-tall core stage — the largest stage NASA has ever built — and its twin solid rocket boosters produce 8.8 million pounds of thrust to send NASA’s Orion spacecraft, astronauts and supplies beyond Earth’s orbit to the Moon and, ultimately, Mars.

Offering more payload mass, volume capability and energy to speed missions through space, the SLS rocket, along with NASA’s Gateway in lunar orbit, the Human Landing System and Orion spacecraft, is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration and the Artemis lunar program. No other rocket is capable of carrying astronauts in Orion around the Moon in a single mission.

Source: NASA.Gov

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Eric Bordelon


Eric Bordelon

The National Space Council's UAG Will Receive New Members Under the Biden-Harris Administration...

NASA / Joel Kowsky

Vice President Harris Announces Selections to the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group (Press Release - December 16)

As Chair of the National Space Council, Vice President Kamala Harris today announced the individuals selected to serve on the National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group (UAG). Pending official appointment by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the selected members of the UAG will serve to enable the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to maintain a robust and responsible U.S. space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations.

The candidates represent a cross-section of companies and organizations that support the United States’ large and highly-skilled space workforce; users of space services, including climate scientists and agriculture providers; individuals focused on developing the next generation of space professionals; and leading experts in space.

The UAG will provide the National Space Council advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy, including but not limited to, government policies, laws, regulations, treaties, international instruments, programs, and practices across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors.

The Vice President announced the UAG Chair, General (USAF, Ret) Lester Lyles, during the second space council meeting in September.

Below is the full selection to the National Space Council’s UAG:

General (USAF, Ret) Lester Lyles, UAG Chair

Mr. Rajeev Badyal, VP of Technology, Amazon Project Kuiper

Mr. Charles Bolden, Former NASA Administrator and Former Astronaut

Mr. Salvatore T. Bruno, CEO, United Launch Alliance

Dr. Lance Bush, President & CEO, Challenger Center

Ms. Bridget Chatman, Chairwoman, Women in Aerospace

Mr. Theodore “Ted” Colbert, CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Ms. Nancy Colleton, President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

Ms. Karina Drees, President, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

Mr. Eric Fanning, President and CEO, Aerospace Industries Association

Dr. Daniel Hastings, Head, Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Ms. Dawne Hickton, Subject Matter Expert

Mr. Daniel Jablonsky, President & CEO, Maxar Technologies

Dr. Dave Kaufman, President, Ball Aerospace

Mr. Patrick Lin, Director of the Ethics & Emerging Sciences Program, California Polytechnic State University

Mr. Ron Lopez, President & Managing Director, Astroscale US

Dr. Harold Lee Martin, Chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University

Dr. Kate Marvel, Climate Scientist at Project Drawdown

Maj Gen (Ret) Roosevelt “Ted” Mercer, CEO & Director, Virginia Space

Dr. Marla Perez-Davis, Former Director, NASA Glenn Research Center

Dr. Sian Proctor, Geoscience Professor, South Mountain Community College

Ms. Gwynne Shotwell, President & COO, SpaceX

Dr. Robert Smith, CEO, Blue Origin

Mr. James Taiclet, President & CEO, Lockheed Martin

Dr. Mandy Vaughn, Subject Matter Expert

Ms. Kathy Warden, Chairwoman & CEO, Northrop Grumman Corp

Mr. Robbie Schingler, Jr., Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Planet Labs

Ms. Melanie Stricklan, Co-Founder & CEO, Slingshot Aerospace

Dr. Jeremy Williams, Head, Climate Corporation & Digital Farming, Bayer Crop Science

Ms. Katrina Harden Williams, Middle School Teacher, Ames Middle School, Iowa

Source: WhiteHouse.gov

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It’s a tremendous honor to be selected to serve on the @VP National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group & help advance space exploration through my experiences as a commercial astronaut, a geoscientist, & an educator with the Maricopa Community Colleges. https://t.co/VKXCJliaS6

— Dr. Sian “Leo” Proctor (@DrSianProctor) December 16, 2022

Congratulations to ULA’s President and CEO @torybruno for his reappointment to the @VP’s National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group! Read more: https://t.co/1tVvVQUy7X https://t.co/oX51aZh0zU

— ULA (@ulalaunch) December 16, 2022

A Prototype Module for the LIFE Habitat Aced a Crucial Test Last Month...

Sierra Space

Sierra Space Successfully Completes Series of Major Development Milestones for First Commercial Space Station (Press Release - December 13)

Second Sub-Scale LIFE Habitat Test Article Exceeds NASA Certification Requirements After Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) Test

LOUISVILLE, Colo. – Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company building the first end-to-end business and technology platform in space, announced today that the company’s LIFE™ Habitat (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) has successfully completed its second sub-scale Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) test. Following the success of its first UBP test in July of this year, this second test further establishes Sierra Space as the leader in commercial space station development and the only active commercial space company to meet multiple successful UBP trials.

This latest test was performed on November 15 under NASA’s NextSTEP project for space habitation systems, which is managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA subject matter experts and ILC Dover collaborated with Sierra Space on the test, which occurred in a historic setting on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

Due to the explosive nature of the test, the team placed the sub-scale space habitat in the flame trench of the Saturn 1/1B test stand, where NASA tested rockets for the Apollo program.

Sierra Space’s LIFE forms part of the company’s in-space destinations technology portfolio. The inflatable module is a three-story commercial habitation and science platform designed for low-Earth orbit (LEO) that will allow humans to live and work comfortably in space.

LIFE is constructed of high-strength “softgoods” materials, which are sewn and woven fabrics – primarily Vectran – that become rigid structures when pressurized. Sierra Space is working towards NASA softgoods certification and is already exceeding programmatic requirements that demonstrate LIFE has followed a successful systematic and comprehensive design, fabrication and test program.

The two sub-scale UBP tests in July and November achieved maximum burst pressure rates of 192 and 204 psi, respectively. Exceeding the safety requirement of 182.4 psi demonstrates that Sierra Space can meet the 4x safety factor required for softgoods inflatables within its current architecture at one-third scale.

This series of sub-scale tests is designed to support LIFE’s overall, full-scale development and future inflatable habitats, as Sierra Space builds the next generation of inflatable habitat architectures. These early “fleet” leader tests provide the design and analysis data to determine the safety and reliability of the inflatable architecture systems.

“Sierra Space is making incredible strides in the inflatable habitat technology development roadmap. In working with our partners ILC Dover and NASA, Sierra Space is quickly moving closer to softgoods certification,” added Shawn Buckley, LIFE Chief Engineer and Senior Director of Engineering at Sierra Space. “This second successful UBP test proves we can demonstrate design, manufacturing and assembly repeatability, all of which are keys areas for certification.”

Full-scale LIFE UBP tests will begin in 2023, in order to complete NASA’s certification of the habitat’s primary structure for human use in space. NASA’s NextSTEP program falls under the HQ Explorations Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) Technical Integration’s (TI) Pre-Formulation (PF) Habitation Team.

For NextSTEP-2, Sierra Space is focused on performing critical risk reduction tests and assessing LIFE’s extensibility to multiple space destinations including the Moon and Mars.

Among other missions in coming years, LIFE will serve as both a habitation and payload element for the Orbital Reef commercial space station, a collaboration between Sierra Space and Blue Origin.

To view the Ultimate Burst Pressure Test on YouTube, visit:
Sierra Space’s LIFE Habitat Successfully Completes Second Ultimate Burst Pressure Test

Source: Sierra Space

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Amazon Supply Chain / Amazon Web Services / ASU / Boeing / Genesis Engineering Solutions / Redwire Space

One of Russia's Two Lifeboats at the ISS Is Experiencing an Issue...

NASA TV

Mission Controllers Assess Soyuz Coolant Leak (News Release)

Ground teams at Mission Control in Moscow continue to assess a coolant leak detected from the aft end of the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station. As a result, the planned December 14 Roscosmos spacewalk was canceled to allow time to evaluate the fluid and potential impacts to the integrity of the Soyuz spacecraft.

NASA and Roscosmos will continue to work together to determine the next course of action following the ongoing analysis. The crew members aboard the space station are safe, and were not in any danger during the leak.

The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin into space after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 21.

Source: NASA.Gov

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The Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft has been leaking apparent coolant fluid more than three hours. International Space Station managers are discussing the situation.

The cosmonauts who were preparing for tonight's spacewalk are safely back in the space station.https://t.co/2lnIsF9yec pic.twitter.com/Sbc6k8iiA2

— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) December 15, 2022

Three Days After Returning to Earth, Apollo's Successor Has Arrived in Southern California...

NASA

Artemis I Update: Orion Offloaded from USS Portland in Preparation for Transport to Kennedy Space Center (News Release)

Team members with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems program successfully removed the Artemis I Orion spacecraft from the USS Portland on December 14, after the ship arrived at U.S. Naval Base San Diego a day earlier. The spacecraft successfully splashed down December 11 in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California after completing a 1.4 million-mile journey beyond the Moon and back, and was recovered by NASA’s Landing and Recovery team and personnel from the Department of Defense.

Engineers will conduct inspections around the spacecraft’s windows before installing hard covers and deflating the five airbags on the crew module uprighting system in preparation for the final leg of Orion’s journey over land. It will be loaded on a truck and transported back to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for post-flight analysis.

Before its departure, teams will open Orion’s hatch as part of preparations for the trip to Kennedy and remove the Biology Experiment-1 payload which flew onboard Orion. The experiment involves using plant seeds, fungi, yeast and algae to study the effects of space radiation before sending humans to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.

Removing the payload prior to Orion’s return to Kennedy allows scientists to begin their analysis before the samples begin to degrade.

Once it arrives at Kennedy, Orion will be delivered to the Multi-Payload Processing Facility where additional payloads will be taken out, its heat shield and other elements will be removed for analysis, and remaining hazards will be offloaded.

Source: NASA.Gov

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Two African Nations Are Now Members of NASA's Moon Exploration Initiative...

NASA

NASA Welcomes Nigeria, Rwanda as Newest Artemis Accords Signatories (News Release)

During the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington Tuesday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson joined Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina, U.S. National Space Council Executive Secretary Chirag Parikh, as well as representatives from Nigeria and Rwanda as those nations signed the Artemis Accords.

With the addition of these two signatories, 23 nations have affirmed their commitment to transparent, safe and sustainable space exploration. Through the accords, the signatories are guided by a set of principles that promote the beneficial use of space for all of humanity.

“I’m thrilled Nigeria and Rwanda are committing to the safe, sustainable use of outer space. In an era where more nations than ever have space programs, today’s signings highlight a growing commitment to ensure space exploration is conducted responsibly,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “As the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords, Nigeria and Rwanda exemplify the global reach of the accords and are demonstrating their leadership in space exploration.”

The accords were signed on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Isa Ali Ibrahim, minister of Communications and Digital Economy.

On behalf of the Republic of Rwanda, Francis Ngabo, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Space Agency, signed the accords.

The summit, hosted by President Joe Biden and led by the U.S. Department of State, brought together leaders from across the African continent to Washington, and began earlier today. The Artemis Accords were signed at the start of the U.S.-Africa Space Forum – an element of the broader summit.

The summit runs through December 15.

NASA and the State Department announced the establishment of the Artemis Accords in 2020. The Artemis Accords are a set of principles to guide the next phase in space exploration, reinforcing and providing for important operational implementation of key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.

The Accords also reinforce the commitment by the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as guidelines and best practices NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

More countries are anticipated to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as the United States continues to work with international partners for a safe, peaceful and prosperous future in space. Working with both new and existing partners will add new energy and capabilities to help ensure the entire world can benefit from our journey of exploration and discovery.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

Exactly 50 Years After the Last Moon Landing Took Place, Artemis 1 Comes to a Successful End...

NASA / Josh Valcarcel

Splashdown! NASA’s Orion Returns to Earth After Historic Moon Mission (Press Release)

NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, at 9:40 a.m. PST Sunday after a record-breaking mission, traveling more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returning safely to Earth, completing the Artemis I flight test.

Splashdown is the final milestone of the Artemis I mission that began with a successful liftoff of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on November 16, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Over the course of 25.5 days, NASA tested Orion in the harsh environment of deep space before flying astronauts on Artemis II.

“The splashdown of the Orion spacecraft – which occurred 50 years to the day of the Apollo 17 Moon landing – is the crowning achievement of Artemis I. From the launch of the world’s most powerful rocket to the exceptional journey around the Moon and back to Earth, this flight test is a major step forward in the Artemis Generation of lunar exploration,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

“It wouldn’t be possible without the incredible NASA team. For years, thousands of individuals have poured themselves into this mission, which is inspiring the world to work together to reach untouched cosmic shores. Today is a huge win for NASA, the United States, our international partners and all of humanity.”

During the mission, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles of the lunar surface. At its farthest distance during the mission, Orion traveled nearly 270,000 miles from our home planet, more than 1,000 times farther than where the International Space Station orbits Earth, to intentionally stress systems before flying crew.

“With Orion safely returned to Earth we can begin to see our next mission on the horizon which will fly crew to the Moon for the first time as a part of the next era of exploration,” said Jim Free, NASA associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “This begins our path to a regular cadence of missions and a sustained human presence at the Moon for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars.”

Prior to entering the Earth’s atmosphere, the crew module separated from its service module, which is the propulsive powerhouse provided by ESA (European Space Agency). During re-entry, Orion endured temperatures about half as hot as the surface of the Sun at about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Within about 20 minutes, Orion slowed from nearly 25,000 mph to about 20 mph for its parachute-assisted splashdown.

During the flight test, Orion stayed in space longer than any spacecraft designed for astronauts has done without docking to a space station. While in a distant lunar orbit, Orion surpassed the record for distance traveled by a spacecraft designed to carry humans, previously set during Apollo 13.

“Orion has returned from the Moon and is safely back on planet Earth,” said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager. “With splashdown we have successfully operated Orion in the deep space environment, where it exceeded our expectations, and demonstrated that Orion can withstand the extreme conditions of returning through Earth’s atmosphere from lunar velocities.”

Recovery teams are now working to secure Orion for the journey home. NASA leads the interagency landing and recovery team on the USS Portland, which consists of personnel and assets from the U.S. Department of Defense, including Navy amphibious specialists, Space Force weather specialists and Air Force specialists, as well as engineers and technicians from NASA Kennedy, the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and Lockheed Martin Space Operations.

In the coming days, Orion will return to shore where technicians will offload the spacecraft and transfer it by truck back to Kennedy. Once at Kennedy, teams will open the hatch and unload several payloads, including Commander Moonikin Campos, the space biology experiments, Snoopy and the official flight kit.

Next, the capsule and its heat shield will undergo testing and analysis over the course of several months.

Artemis I was the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems - the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket and the supporting ground systems - and was supported by thousands of people around the world, from contractors who built the spacecraft and rocket, and the ground infrastructure needed to launch them, to international and university partners, to small businesses supplying subsystems and components.

Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone for astronauts on the way to Mars.

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NASA / Harrison Schmitt

Launch on SLS, views from lunar orbit and splashdown: three stunning photos of the Artemis I mission!

📸: NASA - U.S. Navy pic.twitter.com/q08e310bwD

— Everything Artemis (@artemis360_moon) December 11, 2022

SLS Core Stage Boosters for the Four Missions After Artemis 2 Will Officially Be Built...

NASA / Eric Bordelon

NASA Commits to Future Artemis Moon Rocket Production (Press Release - December 9)

NASA has finalized its contract with Boeing of Huntsville, Alabama, for approximately $3.2 billion to continue manufacturing core and upper stages for future Space Launch System (SLS) rockets for Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

Under the SLS Stages Production and Evolution Contract action, Boeing will produce SLS core stages for Artemis III and IV, procure critical and long-lead material for the core stages for Artemis V and VI, provide the Exploration Upper Stages (EUS) for Artemis V and VI, as well as tooling and related support and engineering services.

In October 2019, NASA provided initial funding and authorization for Artemis III core stage work and targeted long-lead materials and cost-efficient bulk purchases. The finalization of this contract extends production activities and preparations for future work through July 2028.

As part of the contract NASA may order up to 10 core stages and eight Exploration Upper Stages total to support future deep space exploration missions.

“NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is the only rocket capable of sending large cargos and soon, astronauts to the Moon,” said John Honeycutt, SLS Program manager. “The SLS core stage is the backbone of NASA’s Moon rocket, producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust at launch, and the addition of the Exploration Upper Stage will enable NASA to support missions to deep space through the 2030s.”

The SLS rocket delivers propulsion in stages and is designed to evolve to more advanced configurations to power NASA’s deep space missions. Each SLS rocket configuration uses the same 212-foot-tall core stage to produce more than 2 million pounds of thrust to help propel the mega rocket off the launch pad.

For the first three Artemis missions, SLS uses an interim cryogenic propulsion stage with one RL10 engine to send NASA’s Orion spacecraft to the Moon. Beginning with Artemis IV, the SLS Block 1B rocket configuration will be propelled by the more powerful EUS with larger fuel tanks and four RL10 engines to send a crewed Orion and large cargos to the Moon.

All the structures for the rocket’s core stage and EUS are manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

The contract comes as NASA optimizes manufacturing capabilities as Boeing will use Kennedy Space Center in Florida to perform some core stage assembly and outfitting activities beginning with the Artemis III rocket. In tandem, teams will continue all core stage manufacturing activities at Michoud.

Teams continue to make progress assembling and manufacturing core stages for Artemis II, III and IV. The Artemis II stage is scheduled to be completed and delivered to Kennedy in 2023.

The engine section for Artemis III was recently loaded onto NASA’s Pegasus barge for delivery to Kennedy, where it will be outfitted and later integrated with the rest of the rocket.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration at the Moon in preparation for human missions to Mars. SLS and NASA’s Orion spacecraft, along with the commercial Human Landing System and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration.

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NASA / Keegan Barber

Apollo's Successor Is Now in the Home Stretch of Its 25.5-Day Mission...

NASA

Artemis I Flight Day 24: Orion Heads Home (News Release)

Teams in Mission Control Houston conducted spacecraft system checks ahead of Orion’s planned splashdown on December 11, while the Exploration Ground Systems recovery team made its way toward the landing area off the Baja coast near Guadalupe Island.

Flight controllers activated the crew module reaction control system heater and conducted a hot-fire test for each thruster as planned. The five pulses for each thruster lasted 75 milliseconds each, and were conducted in opposing pairs to minimize attitude changes during the test.

Thrust for the crew module propulsion system is generated from 12 monopropellant MR-104G engines. These engines are a variant of MR-104 thrusters, which have been used in other NASA spacecraft, including the interplanetary Voyagers 1 and 2.

Approximately 12,100 pounds of propellant have been used, which is 240 pounds less than estimated prelaunch, and leaves a margin of 2,230 pounds over what is planned for use, 324 pounds more than prelaunch expectations.

On its way back to Earth, Orion will pass through a period of intense radiation as it travels through the Van Allen Belts that contain space radiation trapped around Earth by the planet’s magnetosphere. Outside the protection of Earth’s magnetic field, the deep space radiation environment includes energetic particles produced by the Sun during solar flares as well as particles from cosmic rays that come from outside the galaxy.

Orion was designed from the start to ensure reliability of essential spacecraft systems during potential radiation events, and can become a makeshift storm shelter when crew members use shielding materials to form a barrier against solar energetic particles.

For the uncrewed Artemis I mission, Orion is carrying several instruments and experiments to better understand the environment future crews will experience and provide valuable information for engineers developing additional protective measures. There are active sensors connected to power that can send readings to Earth during the flight, as well as passive detectors that require no power source to collect radiation dose information that will be analyzed after the flight.

Commander Moonikin Campos is equipped with two radiation sensors, as well as a sensor under the headrest and another behind the seat to record acceleration and vibration throughout the mission. The seat is positioned in a recumbent, or laid-back, position with elevated feet, which will help maintain blood flow to the head for crew members on future missions during ascent and entry.

This position also reduces the chance of injury by allowing the head and feet to be held securely during launch and landing, and by distributing forces across the entire torso during high acceleration and deceleration periods, such as splashdown.

A crew is expected to experience two-and-a-half times the force of gravity during ascent and four times the force of gravity at two different points during the planned reentry profile. Engineers will compare Artemis I flight data with previous ground-based vibration tests with the same manikin, and human subjects, to correlate performance prior to Artemis II.

In addition to the sensors on the manikin and seat, Campos is wearing a first-generation Orion Crew Survival System pressure suit – a spacesuit astronauts will wear during launch, entry and other dynamic phases of their missions. Even though it’s primarily designed for launch and reentry, the Orion suit can keep astronauts alive if Orion were to lose cabin pressure during the journey out to the Moon, while adjusting orbits in Gateway, or on the way back home.

Astronauts could survive inside the suit for up to six days as they make their way back to Earth. The outer cover layer is orange to make crew members easily visible in the ocean should they ever need to exit Orion without the assistance of recovery personnel, and the suit is equipped with several features for fit and function.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m. CST on December 9, Orion was traveling 171,500 miles from Earth and 214,200 miles from the Moon, cruising at 2,100 mph.

Live splashdown coverage will begin at 11 a.m. EST on Sunday, December 11. Splashdown is scheduled at 12:39 p.m., and coverage will continue through Orion’s handover from Mission Control in Houston to Exploration Ground Systems recovery teams in the Pacific Ocean.

Coverage will be live on NASA TV, the agency’s website, and the NASA app.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA / Kim Shiflett

ISS Crew Members to Wear a New Generation of Extravehicular Mobility Units During Spacewalks...

NASA

NASA Taps Collins Aerospace to Develop New Space Station Spacesuits (Press Release)

NASA has awarded a task order to Collins Aerospace to deliver a spacewalking system for potential use outside the International Space Station.

This award – the second under NASA’s Exploration EVA Services contract – is for design and development of a next-generation spacesuit and support systems. The task order has a base value of $97.2 million.

Collins Aerospace will complete a critical design review and demonstrate use of the suit on Earth in a simulated space environment by January 2024. NASA will have the option to extend the contract for a demonstration with agency crew members outside the space station by April 2026.

With this second award for a new suit and system, NASA is another step closer to a replacement for the current design used by NASA astronauts for decades during space shuttle and space station missions. The new suit will support continued station maintenance and operations as NASA and its international partners continue to perform scientific research that benefit humanity and is crucial to future Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars.

“We look forward to obtaining another much-needed service under our contract,” said Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, which manages the spacesuit contract. “By working with industry, NASA is able to continue its over 22-year legacy of maintaining a presence in low-Earth orbit.”

Under the indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, both Collins Aerospace, as well as Axiom, which was awarded an initial task order award for Artemis suits, provided proposals to meet both station and Artemis requirements. Both vendors will continue to compete for future task orders which include recurring services for station spacewalks and moonwalks beyond Artemis III.

Collins will be responsible for the design, development, qualification, certification and production of its station spacesuits and support equipment to meet NASA’s key requirements. The agency will continue to maintain the authority to manage astronaut training, spacewalk planning and approval of the service systems.

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A Major Piece of Flight Hardware for the Third SLS Booster Is on Its Way to Kennedy Space Center in Florida...

NASA / Michael DeMocker

NASA Advances Artemis Moon Rocket Production for Future Missions (News Release)

NASA is moving forward with Space Launch System (SLS) production and assembly activities for future Artemis missions.

The agency is optimizing manufacturing capabilities by enabling SLS core stage lead contractor Boeing to use facilities at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to perform some core stage assembly and outfitting activities beginning with the Artemis III rocket. In tandem, teams will continue all core stage manufacturing activities at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

As the SLS program transitions from rocket development efforts to operations, NASA and Boeing evaluated how to improve upon the time required to produce each core stage and best use space at Michoud.

“We’re making progress developing, manufacturing and assembling elements for future Artemis missions,” said Jim Free, associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “Our collective workforce across NASA centers and industry partners plays a key role in accomplishing NASA’s long-term plans for exploring the Moon.”

Beginning with production for Artemis III, NASA and Boeing will use Michoud, where the SLS core stages are currently manufactured, to produce and outfit the core stage elements, and available space at Kennedy for final assembly and integration. This opportunity provides for multiple mission elements to be manufactured and outfitted at the same time and for the workforce at Michoud to begin building the rocket’s Exploration Upper Stage, which will enable SLS to send even heavier and larger cargo to the Moon on the same missions with astronauts beginning with Artemis IV.

All five major core stage structures will be manufactured at Michoud using current robotic welding tools and fixtures and complete all thermal protection system spray applications at Michoud. There, the forward skirt, the intertank, the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks will continue to be outfitted and joined to form the upper part of the core stage.

Upon completion, these structures, which comprise the top four-fifths of the 212-foot-tall stage, will be shipped to Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) where they will be joined and vertically integrated in High Bay 2.

Once the engine section structure is manufactured, it will be transported to Kennedy’s Space Station Processing Facility for outfitting in the facility. When the engine section is completely outfitted, it and the stage’s four RS-25 engines will be moved to the VAB’s High Bay 2 for integration with the rest of the core stage, where technicians can more easily move it for stacking and assembly operations.

Four of five major core stage parts for Artemis II have been joined, and teams are outfitting the last part, the engine section, and will soon connect it and the RS-25 engines to complete the stage at Michoud. The Artemis II stage is scheduled to be completed and delivered to Kennedy in 2023.

The engine section for the Artemis III SLS core stage is expected to arrive at Kennedy in mid-December.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration at the Moon in preparation for human missions to Mars. SLS and NASA’s Orion spacecraft, along with the commercial Human Landing System and Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA


NASA

Apollo's Successor Is Officially Heading Back to Earth After a Successful Stint at the Moon...

NASA

Artemis I – Flight Day 20: Orion Conducts Return Powered Flyby (News Release)

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is on course for its return to Earth on Sunday, December 11. The spacecraft made its second and final close approach to the Moon at 10:43 a.m. CST Monday, December 5, just before its return powered flyby burn, passing 80.6 miles above the lunar surface.

The burn, which used the spacecraft’s main engine on the European-built service module, lasted 3 minutes, 27 seconds, and changed the velocity of the spacecraft by about 655 mph (961 feet per second). It was the final major engine maneuver of the flight test.

“Orion is heading home! Today the team achieved another momentous accomplishment, flying Orion just 80 miles from the surface of the Moon. The lunar flyby enabled the spacecraft to harness the Moon’s gravity and slingshot it back toward Earth for splashdown,” said Administrator Bill Nelson. “When Orion re-enters Earth’s atmosphere in just a few days, it will come back hotter and faster than ever before – the ultimate test before we put astronauts onboard. Next up, re-entry!”

Several hours before the lunar flyby, the spacecraft performed a trajectory correction burn at 4:43 a.m. CST using the reaction control system thrusters on the service module. The burn lasted 20.1 seconds and changed the velocity of the spacecraft by 1.39 mph (2.04 feet per second).

The mission management team convened and polled “go” to deploy recovery assets off the coast of California ahead of Orion’s splashdown on December 11. As soon as Orion splashes down, a team of divers, engineers and technicians will depart the ship on small boats and arrive at the capsule.

Once there, they will secure Orion and prepare to tow it into the back of the ship, known as the well deck. The divers will attach a cable to pull the spacecraft into the ship, called the winch line, and up to four additional tending lines to attach points on the spacecraft.

The winch will pull Orion into a specially designed cradle inside the ship’s well deck and the other lines will control the motion of the spacecraft. Once Orion is positioned above the cradle assembly, the well deck will be drained and Orion will be secured on the cradle.

“Last week, we completed our final rehearsal with the USS Portland, which will be our recovery ship for Artemis I,” said Melissa Jones, landing and recovery director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. “We had a great three days working with them to refine our procedures and integrate our teams so we can meet the objectives of recovering the Orion spacecraft.”

Orion has used approximately 8,050 pounds of propellant during Artemis I, which is 180 pounds less than expected prelaunch. There are 2,075 pounds of margin available over what was planned for the mission, a 165-pound increase.

As of 5:29 p.m. CST on December 5, Orion was traveling 244,629 miles from Earth and 16,581 miles from the Moon, cruising at 668 mph.

NASA Television and the agency’s website will resume live coverage of Orion’s journey at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

As Orion leaves the lunar sphere of influence for the final time, watch NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn read the children’s book Goodnight Moon from space during his expedition aboard the International Space Station as part of a collaboration with Crayola Education to bring stories and the unique teachings of space to life with art and creativity.

Source: NASA.Gov

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NASA

ISS Update: The Orbital Outpost Has a New Set of Solar Wings...

NASA TV

Spacewalkers Complete New Solar Array Installation on Station (News Release - December 3)

Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio of NASA concluded their spacewalk at 2:21 p.m. EST after 7 hours and 5 minutes.

Cassada and Rubio completed their major objectives for today to install an International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA) and disconnect a cable to ensure the 1B channel can be reactivated. They also completed an additional task to release several bolts for the upcoming iROSA installation on the 4A power channel on the port truss.

It was the 256th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, upgrades and maintenance, and was the second spacewalk for both astronauts. Cassada and Rubio are in the midst of a planned six-month science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

The next U.S. spacewalk is scheduled for Monday, December 19, to install an iROSA on the 4A power channel on the port truss. This will be the fourth iROSAs out of a total of six planned for installation.

The iROSAs will increase power-generation capability by up to 30%, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

Source: NASA.Gov

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The third and newest roll-out solar array (iROSA 3A) has been installed and unfurled on the station's Starboard truss segment and is generating power. A fourth roll-out solar array will be installed on another spacewalk planned for Dec. 19. https://t.co/yuOTrZ4Jut pic.twitter.com/DilEe0GTDz

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 3, 2022

Check out that new array glow! ✨

Designed by our team with structure from @RedwireSpace and solar cells from @Spectrolab_Inc, the array is the third to augment the original power-generating arrays aboard ISS to support more research, and even new modules. pic.twitter.com/QFlayTI7Bx

— Boeing Space (@BoeingSpace) December 3, 2022

We want to thank + congratulate our many collaborators: Spacewalkers @astro_Josh + @NASA_Astronauts Frank Rubio; our partners @NASA, @BoeingSpace + @Spectrolab_Inc; and the entire Redwire team! pic.twitter.com/1EIG9RUS46

— Redwire Space (@RedwireSpace) December 3, 2022

Apollo's Successor Travels Through the Moon's Gravity Field One Last Time Before Returning to Earth...

NASA

Artemis I – Flight Day 18: Orion Re-enters Lunar Sphere of Influence (News Release)

Orion re-entered the lunar sphere of influence at 4:45 p.m. CST Saturday, December 3; making the Moon the main gravitational force acting on the spacecraft. Entry into the lunar sphere of entry occurred when the spacecraft was about 39,993 miles from the lunar surface.

Orion will exit the lunar sphere of influence for a final time on Tuesday, December 6, one day after the return powered flyby about 79 miles above the lunar surface.

On Flight Day 18, engineers also performed a development flight test objective that changed the minimum jet firing time for the reaction control thrusters over a period of 24 hours. This test objective is designed to exercise the reaction control system jets in a pre-planned sequence to model jet thruster firings that will be incorporated into the crewed Artemis II mission.

The test used the reaction control system (RCS) thrusters, built by ArianeGroup, on the European Service Module. All firings of RCS thrusters during the flight test to date have used those on the service module.

Another set of 12 RCS thrusters, built by Aerojet Rocketdyne, are located on the crew module.

While the crew module thrusters will be tested a few days before Orion’s splashdown on Earth, their primary role takes place in the final hour before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. After the crew module and service module separate the crew module’s RCS thrusters will be used to ensure the spacecraft is properly oriented for re-entry, with its heat shield pointed forward, and stable during descent under parachutes.

Orion will be out of communication with NASA’s Deep Space Network for about 4.5 hours from 7:40 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. while network teams reconfigure ground stations. The flight control team has adjusted the activity timeline, and there is no impact to the mission’s trajectory.

Automated commands will guide the spacecraft during this period, and Orion will reacquire signal as it passes within range of the Canberra ground station.

Just after 4:30 p.m. on December 3, Orion was traveling 221,630 miles from Earth and 40,086 miles from the Moon, cruising at 2,777 miles per hour.

Source: NASA.Gov

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SLS launch with Apollo 13 soundtrack, courtesy of Eddie M on YouTube. The whole video is great, give it a watchhttps://t.co/5Y0vpo8hxf pic.twitter.com/kwaGYVPRT7

— Andrew (@Cosmic_Andrew1) December 4, 2022

VP Harris Commemorates the Ongoing Collaboration Between America and a Long-standing International Partner in Space Exploration...

Photo courtesy of Vice President Kamala Harris - Twitter.com

U.S. Vice President, French President Visit NASA Headquarters (Press Release - November 30)

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris and French President Emmanuel Macron to NASA Headquarters in Washington Wednesday, where they participated in a working meeting and briefing by U.S. and French experts on U.S.-France cooperation in exploration, Earth and space science.

U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Rick Spinrad were also in attendance.

At the briefing, Harris and Macron focused on the success of the two nations’ collaboration in space, including the James Webb Space Telescope, the Surface Water Ocean Topography mission, the Space for Climate Observatory, the International Space Station and Artemis. They were briefed by the head of NASA’s Earth Science Division, Karen St. Germain, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) President Phillipe Baptiste, NOAA Senior Scientist Mitch Goldberg, Associate Astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute Rémi Soummer, NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA’s Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Amit Kshatriya.

“Today we have the occasion to celebrate the cooperation of our two nations in space... Today we build on the progress we have made and today we will also identify additional areas of collaboration and cooperation,” Harris said. “Space remains a place of undiscovered and unrealized opportunity. For that reason, there is so much potential in terms of the work that nations can do there, in particular when we work together based on shared principles and values.”

Harris and Macron also received a first look at new imagery and video from the Artemis I mission and Webb images, a merging galaxy pair, and a new composite image of the Pillars of Creation. The image from Orion was taken from a camera at the end of a solar array on the spacecraft’s service module, provided by ESA, on flight day 13 when Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth, 268,563 miles away from our home planet. Webb captured both of the new images using a pair of its cutting-edge instruments: NIRCam — the Near-Infrared Camera — and MIRI, the Mid-Infrared Instrument, which was contributed by ESA and NASA.

“France is one of the United States’ closest allies – on Earth and in space. It was an honor to host Vice President Harris and President Macron at NASA Headquarters, where they heard from some of the brightest minds from our two nations,” said Nelson. “The U.S.-French partnership in space not only gives us a better understanding of our universe and our place within it, but it also strengthens democracy, climate security and stability around the globe. I look forward to continuing to work with our international partners to develop opportunities for our citizens and demonstrate ingenuity and integrity to the world.”

Following the meeting with Harris, the Department of Commerce hosted Macron and Nelson at a roundtable with representatives from U.S. and French commercial space companies to highlight how collaboration has helped enable growth of both nations’ space sectors, as well as discussed ways in which the nations can continue to work together to advance private-public partnership in space.

Nelson and Baptiste also signed an agreement Wednesday for the Farside Seismic Suite (FSS), which will return the first lunar seismic data from the far side of the Moon. CNES is contributing one of the seismometers to this payload, which will be delivered via NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payloads Services (CLPS) initiative, based on heritage capabilities from the Mars InSight mission.

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As I said with President Macron, we have unrealized opportunity in space. From using satellite technology and data to tackle the climate crisis, to establishing international rules and norms, we are proud to partner with France. pic.twitter.com/qQeB8fDY8I

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) December 1, 2022