NASA confirms Artemis I SLS megarocket is go for launch

Despite all the issues that have popped up, the Artemis I launch date has officially been set in stone. NASA announced earlier this month that the SLS megarocket, which will help usher in a new age of space exploration, is now “go for launch” for the Artemis I mission on August 29, 2022. And, with just six days to go, the space agency doesn’t appear to be backing down.

Artemis I is a huge mission for several reasons, chief among them that it will test the capability of the Orion capsule designed to carry humans back to the Moon sometime in the future. Additionally, the Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket that Orion is outfitted atop is set to be the launch vehicle for NASA’s Artemis missions going forward.

That’s why having final confirmation of the Artemis I launch date is so important for many, especially those who plan to attend the event in person. Artemis I will launch from Cape Canaveral on August 29. When it does, the spacecraft will begin a 42-day trip where it flies past the Moon before returning to Earth.

As noted above, one of the main objectives of this mission is to test Orion’s capabilities in space. This includes testing the capsule’s heat shield as it reenters the Earth’s atmosphere. The engineers at NASA need to ensure that the heat shield can stand the heat before they try putting an actual crew on board.

NASA did a flyby of the rocket this week to commemorate the upcoming launch.