NASA’s Artemis I uncrewed Orion capsule is headed to the moon. The first view of Earth from the spacecraft was posted on Twitter.
Two hurricanes, several technical issues, and two months later, NASA launched the Artemis I mission early Wednesday from its Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
“[F]or the Artemis generation, this is for you,” NASA’s launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said as she gave the go-ahead for liftoff at 0148 ET.
As @NASA_Orion begins the #Artemis I mission to the Moon, the spacecraft captured these stunning views of our home planet. pic.twitter.com/Pzk3PDt7sd
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) November 16, 2022
New views of planet Earth from @NASA_Orion as #Artemis I journeys to the Moon. Orion is 9.5 hours into a 25.5-day test flight. pic.twitter.com/CBaA4ZOK4X
— NASA (@NASA) November 16, 2022
NASA placed a manikin named “Commander Moonikin Campos” in the Orion capsule for the 26-day mission around the moon. The space agency released a video inside the capsule.
While #Artemis I is uncrewed, a manikin named "Commander Moonikin Campos" is among the test devices flying aboard @NASA_Orion. The name honors NASA engineer Arturo Campos, who helped bring the Apollo 13 crew safely home to Earth. https://t.co/B5x3fSQQ74 pic.twitter.com/2gs2eC7pWi
— NASA (@NASA) November 16, 2022
If Artemis 1 mission is successful, which would end with the Orion capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, then Artemis 2 and 3 flights will follow.
Artemis 2 is scheduled sometime in 2024. That mission will propel four astronauts around the moon. Then in 2025, Artemis 3 could include a return of humans back to the lunar surface.