A Virtual Glimpse into our Artemis 1 Mission on This Week @NASA – July 12, 2019 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Get a virtual glimpse of the upcoming Artemis 1 mission, the first uncrewed integrated flight test of Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Also, learn about the milestone achievements in the testing of SLS rocket and the mapping of earthquake damages in Southern California.

Key Insights

• 🛄 The Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024.
• 👾 The Artemis 2 mission will confirm the operations of spacecraft systems in the actual environment of deep space.
• 🚀 Structural testing of the SLS rocket is a vital step in ensuring crew safety and mission success.

Transcript

A virtual glimpse into our Artemis 1 mission … A key piece of hardware arrives for our Orion spacecraft … And a testing milestone for our Space Launch System rocket … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA! We’ve got an online video that shows what you can expect to see during the upcoming launch of our Artemis 1 mission - the f... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the primary goal of the Artemis 1 mission?

The primary goal of Artemis 1 is to ensure the safe entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery of the crew module.

Q: What is the purpose of the heat shield in the Artemis 2 mission?

The heat shield will protect astronauts during the re-entry phase of the Artemis 2 mission, which will be the first flight of SLS and Orion with a crew.

Q: Why is structural testing important for the SLS rocket?

Structural testing is critical to ensure the safety of the crew and the success of missions. It helps determine if the rocket can withstand the conditions of deep space.

Q: How was the map of earthquake damages created?

The map was created using synthetic aperture radar data from a Japanese satellite. Each color cycle represents 4.8 inches of ground displacement in the radar line-of-sight.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A video provides a preview of the pre-launch sequence and flight operations for the upcoming Artemis 1 mission, focusing on crew module entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery.

• The heat shield for the Artemis 2 mission, which will carry humans to the Moon, has been transported for assembly and integration.

• Structural testing of the SLS rocket at the Marshall Space Flight Center is more than halfway complete, with the delivery of the last structural test article.

• Synthetic aperture radar data has been used to produce a map showing damages and faults caused by recent earthquakes in Southern California.