{"id":87861,"date":"2018-08-27T18:04:00","date_gmt":"2018-08-27T22:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-431262"},"modified":"2024-04-02T17:41:59","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T21:41:59","slug":"nasas-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to-mars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/artemis\/nasas-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to-mars\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA\u2019s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1638\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?w=1638\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Houston We Have a Podcast: Ep. 283: The Artemis II Astronauts\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg 5878w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=240,300 240w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=768,960 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=819,1024 819w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=1229,1536 1229w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=1638,2048 1638w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=320,400 320w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=480,600 480w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=720,900 720w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=960,1200 960w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/jsc2023e016432_alt2.jpg?resize=1600,2000 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1638px) 100vw, 1638px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA astronauts (left to right) Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Credit: NASA\/Josh Valcarcel<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Artemis II flight test will be NASA\u2019s first mission with crew under Artemis and will pave the way to land the first woman and next man on the Moon on Artemis III. Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft\u2019s systems operate as designed with crew aboard in the actual environment of deep space.  Under Artemis, NASA will return humans to the Moon for long-term exploration and scientific discovery, gaining the knowledge needed future missions to worlds beyond, including Mars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe unique Artemis II mission profile will build upon the uncrewed Artemis I flight test by demonstrating a broad range of SLS and Orion capabilities needed on deep space missions,\u201d said Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager. \u201cThis mission will prove Orion\u2019s critical life support systems are ready to sustain our astronauts on longer duration missions ahead and allow the crew to practice operations essential to the success of Artemis III.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leaving Earth<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The mission will launch a crew of four astronauts from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/sls_lift_capabilities_configurations_04292020_woleo.pdf?emrc=5f7115\">Block 1 configuration<\/a> of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Orion will perform multiple maneuvers to raise its orbit around Earth and eventually place the crew on a lunar free return trajectory in which Earth\u2019s gravity will naturally pull Orion back home after flying by the Moon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The initial launch will be similar to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/around-the-moon-with-nasa-s-first-launch-of-sls-with-orion\" rel=\"noopener\">Artemis I<\/a> as SLS lofts Orion into space, and then jettisons the boosters, service module panels, and launch abort system, before the core stage engines shut down and the core stage separates from the upper stage and the spacecraft. With crew aboard this mission, Orion and the upper stage, called the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS), will then orbit Earth twice to ensure Orion\u2019s systems are working as expected while still close to home. The spacecraft will first reach an initial orbit, flying in the shape of an ellipse, at an altitude of about 115 by 1,400 miles. The orbit will last a little over 90 minutes and will include the first firing of the ICPS to maintain Orion\u2019s path. After the first orbit, the ICPS will raise Orion to a high-Earth orbit. This maneuver will enable the spacecraft to build up enough speed for the eventual push toward the Moon. The second, larger orbit will take approximately 23.5 hours with Orion flying in an ellipse between about 115 and 46,000 miles above Earth. For perspective, the International Space Station flies a nearly circular Earth orbit about 250 miles above our planet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the burn to enter high-Earth orbit, Orion will separate from the ICPS. The expended stage will have one final use before it is disposed through Earth\u2019s atmosphere\u2014the crew will use it as a target for a proximity operations demonstration. During the demonstration, mission controllers at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston will monitor Orion as the astronauts transition the spacecraft to manual mode and pilot Orion\u2019s flight path and orientation. The crew will use Orion\u2019s onboard cameras and the view from the spacecraft\u2019s windows to line up with the ICPS as they approach and back away from the stage to assess Orion\u2019s handling qualities and related hardware and software. This demonstration will provide performance data and operational experience that cannot be readily gained on the ground in preparation for critical rendezvous, proximity operations and docking, as well as undocking operations in lunar orbit beginning on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-selects-blue-origin-dynetics-spacex-for-artemis-human-landers\" rel=\"noopener\">Artemis III<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Checking Critical Systems <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the proximity operations demonstration, the crew will turn control of Orion back to mission controllers at Johnson and spend the remainder of the orbit verifying spacecraft system performance in the space environment. They will remove the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/orion-suit-equipped-to-expect-the-unexpected-on-artemis-missions\" rel=\"noopener\">Orion Crew Survival System<\/a> suit they wear for launch and spend the remainder of the in-space mission in plain clothes, until they don their suits again to prepare for reentry into Earth\u2019s atmosphere and recovery from the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While still close to Earth, the crew will assess the performance of the life support systems necessary to generate breathable air and remove the carbon dioxide and water vapor produced when the astronauts breathe, talk, or exercise. The long orbital period around Earth provides an opportunity to test the systems during exercise periods, where the crew\u2019s metabolic rate is the highest, and a sleep period, where the crew\u2019s metabolic rate is the lowest. A change between the suit mode and cabin mode in the life support system, as well as performance of the system during exercise and sleep periods, will confirm the full range of life support system capabilities and ensure readiness for the lunar flyby portion of the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Orion will also checkout the communication and navigation systems to confirm they are ready for the trip to the Moon. While still in the elliptical orbit around Earth, Orion will briefly fly beyond the range of GPS satellites and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/tdrs\/home\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Tracking and Data Relay Satellites<\/a> of NASA\u2019s Space Network to allow an early checkout of agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/directorates\/heo\/scan\/services\/networks\/deep_space_network\/about\" rel=\"noopener\">Deep Space Network<\/a> communication and navigation capabilities. When Orion travels out to and around the Moon, mission control will depend on the Deep Space Network to communicate with the astronauts, send imagery to Earth, and command the spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After completing checkout procedures, Orion will perform the next propulsion move, called the translunar injection (TLI) burn. With the ICPS having done most of the work to put Orion into a high-Earth orbit, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/orion-s-service-module-completes-critical-design-review\" rel=\"noopener\">service module<\/a> will provide the last push needed to put Orion on a path toward the Moon. The TLI burn will send crew on an outbound trip of about four days and around the backside of the Moon where they will ultimately create a figure eight extending over 230,000 miles from Earth before Orion returns home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>To the Moon and \u201cFree\u201d Ride Home<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>On the remainder of the trip, astronauts will continue to evaluate the spacecraft\u2019s systems, including demonstrating Earth departure and return operations, practicing emergency procedures, and testing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/scientists-and-engineers-evaluate-orion-radiation-protection-plan\/\" rel=\"noopener\">radiation shelter<\/a>, among other activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Artemis II crew will travel approximately 4,600 miles beyond the far side of the Moon. From this vantage point, they will be able to see the Earth and the Moon from Orion\u2019s windows, with the Moon close in the foreground and the Earth nearly a quarter-million miles in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a return trip of about four days, the mission is expected to last about 10 days. Instead of requiring propulsion on the return, this fuel-efficient trajectory harnesses the Earth-Moon gravity field, ensuring that\u2014after its trip around the far side of the Moon\u2014Orion will be pulled back naturally by Earth\u2019s gravity for the free return portion of the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Two Missions, Two Different Trajectories<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Following Artemis II, Orion and a crew of four will once again travel to the Moon, this time to make history with the first woman and next man to walk on its surface. Beginning with Artemis III, missions will focus on establishing surface capabilities and building the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/in-lunar-orbit\" rel=\"noopener\">Gateway<\/a> in orbit around the Moon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTogether, these test flights will demonstrate the capabilities we need to land the first woman and next man on the Moon and enable sustainable missions for decades to come,\u201d said Sarafin. \u201cWe will take the experience gained exploring the Moon to prepare for the next giant leap to Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA is leading a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/topics\/moon-to-mars\" rel=\"noopener\">return to the Moon<\/a> through an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. SLS and Orion are critical backbone capabilities, along with the Gateway in lunar orbit and modern human landing systems, that will enable human missions of increasing complexity in deep space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Artemis II flight test will be NASA\u2019s first mission with crew under Artemis and will pave the way to land the first woman and next man on the Moon on Artemis III. Astronauts on their first flight aboard NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft will confirm all of the spacecraft\u2019s systems operate as designed with crew aboard [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":194216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2681,2918,2656,2683,3783],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12008],"coauthors":[10313],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA\u2019s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/artemis\/nasas-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to-mars\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/artemis\/nasas-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to-mars\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005~large.jpg?w=1280&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005~large.jpg?w=1280&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kathryn Hambleton"}],"creator":["Kathryn Hambleton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Directorates","Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate","Common Exploration Systems Development Division","Orion Program","Artemis","Artemis 2","Humans in Space","Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-27T22:04:00Z","datePublished":"2018-08-27T22:04:00Z","dateModified":"2024-04-02T21:41:59Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA\u2019s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/artemis\/nasas-first-flight-with-crew-important-step-on-long-term-return-to-the-moon-missions-to-mars\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005~large.jpg?w=1280&h=1920&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-08-27T22:04:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Directorates,Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate,Common Exploration Systems Development Division,Orion Program,Artemis,Artemis 2,Humans in Space,Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Kathryn Hambleton\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":7,"time_ago":"6 years","featured_image":{"id":194216,"file":"https:\/\/images-assets.nasa.gov\/image\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005\/KSC-20230106-PH-GEB01_0005~large.jpg","title":"Artemis Flag Removal at LC 39 Press Site","alt":"","caption":"The Artemis flag is removed from NASA News Center property at the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 6, 2023, following the successful Artemis I mission. At left is former Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Senior Technical Integration Manager Phil Weber, joined by former EGS Manager Mike Bolger. Both men served in their respective roles during Artemis I, retiring at the end of 2022. NASA\u2019s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft lifted off from Kennedy\u2019s Launch Complex 39B on Nov. 16, 2022. Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11 and arrived back at Kennedy on Dec. 30. Artemis I sets the stage for the next mission of SLS and Orion to fly crew around the Moon on Artemis II."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87861"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87861"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":640484,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87861\/revisions\/640484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/194216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87861"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=87861"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=87861"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=87861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}