Artemis 1 was launched to the Moon * separated from the launcher and orbits the Earth

Later today, the Orion spacecraft is expected to deploy its solar collectors and begin tests that will last several days in an elliptical orbit around the Earth, until the mission engineers decide to move it into orbit around the moon. More updates later today in a new article

Previous updates

08:55 The first stage was separated, and the experimental escape system was ejected, to test its success in preparation for the manned launches.

08:50 The SLS launcher carrying the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis 1 mission was eventually launched about forty minutes late. Currently about two minutes after launch it seems to be going smoothly

08:40. After the repairs and tests, it was decided to resume the countdown and set the launch date to 08:47.44 still within the launch window

08:20. After ground crews dealt with the leak from the fuel tank, the countdown was supposed to resume, but in the meantime it has been postponed, the mission leaders will decide on the continuation of the launch attempts today or on another postponement

05:50 Again a malfunction of liquid hydrogen leakage. Please stay updated on the live broadcast in this file

This morning at 08:04 Israel time, the Artis 1 spacecraft is scheduled to be launched for a test flight where it will take off unmanned to the moon to test the SOS launcher and the Orion capsule.

The launch was postponed twice, first it was supposed to take place on August 30, which was stopped in the middle of the preparations due to a leak of liquid hydrogen during refueling. On September 3, another launch attempt was made, but it was also intercepted due to a leak from the engines. In the meantime, the launcher and spacecraft were returned to the testing facility, the launch was therefore transferred but returned to the protected facility due to Hurricane Ian that hit Florida.

This time too, about three hours before the launch, it became clear again that one of the liquid hydrogen tanks was leaking. As of writing these lines: 05:50 Israel time Engineer teams are checking the fault.

Artemis 1 in a nutshell

Artemis 1  It is an unmanned test flight of the Orion spacecraft that will orbit the moon, and the first flight in NASA's Artemis program. This mission will also be the maiden flight of the SLS launcher. The flight is planned for November 16, 2022 and will then be launched by Launch 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from where the Apollo spacecraft were launched in the XNUMXs and XNUMXs, the last time humans took off to the moon.

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The mission is also intended to conduct a series of experiments that will pave the way for manned missions in the future. When Artemis 1 is launched, it is expected to stay in space for 26 to 42 days, it will test all these systems in real time - from the launcher through the spacecraft's solar panels to the heat shield that should protect the spacecraft during its return to Earth. Orion will release 10 CubeSat satellites which, among other things, will help map the ice deposits in the permanently shadowed craters in the South Pole and look for a suitable site for the Artemis base, as well as a satellite that will try to grow yeast in deep space.

The Artemis Program is a flagship project of the American Space Agency (NASA), whose purpose is to land humans on the moon, establish a human colony on it and turn it into a transit station for manned missions to deep space in general and to Mars in particular.

In addition, mannequins wrapped in sensors are expected to test the effect of radiation outside the Earth's radiation belt on the astronauts who are expected to fly on the next flights. The Israeli doll Zohar will wear the radiation shield of the Israeli company Stamrad, while her German counterpart Helga will serve as a control group.

The dolls Zohar and Helga will test radiation protection using the Israeli AstroRad vest, developed by the Israeli StemRad with the support of the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology

The vest is designed to protect the bodies of astronauts in deep space on their way to the Moon and Mars. This is a joint experiment of the Israeli Space Agency with its German counterpart which will test the degree of protection the suit provides against radiation in space. If the experiment is successful, there is a high chance that the technology will become standard in future deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.

The integration of Israeli technology into Artemis-1 paves the way for additional Israeli space companies to be integrated into future Artemis missions and puts Israel on the map of the world's leading space players.

Updates below

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• November 14: New date for NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission launch attempt
• NASA crews replace gaskets and tubes on the Artemis 1 lunar rocket and prepare for a refueling test
• The Artemis 1 launch was delayed due to a fuel leak from one of the engines
• Israel joins the project to return to the moon - Artemis