NASA Sets Launch Coverage for Artemis Mega Moon Rocket, Spacecraft
(NATIONAL) NASA will provide coverage of prelaunch, launch, and postlaunch activities for Artemis I, the first integrated test of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and the ground systems at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This uncrewed flight test around the Moon will pave the way for a crewed flight test and future human lunar exploration as part of Artemis.
The SLS rocket is targeted to launch during a two-hour window that opens at 8:33 a.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 29, from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy.
The rocket and spacecraft arrived at its launch pad Wednesday after the nearly 10-hour, four-mile trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building. A livestream of the rocket and spacecraft at the launch pad currently is available on the NASA Kennedy YouTube channel.
Live coverage of events will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Monday, Aug. 22. The launch countdown will begin Saturday, Aug. 27, at 10:23 a.m.
A live broadcast of the launch also will include celebrity appearances by Jack Black, Chris Evans, and Keke Palmer, as well as a special performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Josh Grobin and Herbie Hancock. It also will feature a performance of “America the Beautiful” by The Philadelphia Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The mission will demonstrate the performance of the SLS rocket and test Orion’s capabilities over the course of about six weeks as it travels about 40,000 miles beyond the Moon and back to Earth.
A limited number of seats inside the auditorium at Kennedy will be available to on-site journalists on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. Additional journalists wishing to participate may dial in. To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the start of each briefing to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Media and members of the public may also ask questions on social media using #Artemis. Audio only of the news conferences will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135.
NASA’s media accreditation policy for virtual and onsite activities is available online. More information about media accreditation at Kennedy is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Full launch coverage is as follows. All times are Eastern, all events will air live on NASA TV, and the information is subject to change. Follow NASA’s Artemis blog for updates.
Monday, Aug. 22
7 p.m. – NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing following the agency flight readiness review with the following participants:
- Janet Petro, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
- Howard Hu, Orion Program manager, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
- John Honeycutt, Space Launch System Program manager, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Friday, Aug. 26
10 a.m. – NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing on the role of industry in advancing human exploration with the following participants:
- Jim Free, associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Jeff Zotti, RS-25 program director, Aerojet Rocketdyne
- Jennifer Boland-Masterson, director of operations, Michoud Assembly Facility, Boeing
- Randy Lycans, vice president/general manager of NASA Enterprise Solutions, Jacobs
- Kelly DeFazio, director of Orion production, Lockheed Martin
- Doug Hurley, senior director of business development, Northrop Grumman
- Ralf Zimmermann, head of Moon programs and Orion European Service Module, Airbus
Saturday, Aug. 27
11 a.m. – NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing following the mission management team meeting with the following participants:
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
- Judd Freiling, ascent and entry flight director, Johnson
- Rick LaBrode, lead flight director, Johnson
- Melissa Jones, recovery director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
- Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45
- Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
2:30 p.m. – NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing on the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration plans with the following participants:
- Bill Nelson, NASA administrator
- Bhavya Lal, NASA associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy
- Jim Free, NASA associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
- Kathy Lueders, NASA associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate
- Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate
- Prasun Desai, NASA deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate
- Randy Bresnik, NASA astronaut
Sunday, Aug. 28
9 a.m. – NASA will hold a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the countdown with the following participants:
- Jeff Spaulding, Artemis I senior NASA test director
- Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45
Monday, Aug. 29
12 a.m.: Coverage begins with commentary of tanking operations to load propellant into the SLS rocket.
6:30 a.m.: Full coverage begins in English. Launch coverage will continue through translunar injection and spacecraft separation, setting Orion on its path to the Moon.
7:30 a.m.: Launch coverage begins in Spanish on NASA’s Spanish-language social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube) and will continue approximately 15 minutes after liftoff. Mission coverage updates will be posted on the NASA en español social media channels.
12 p.m.: Coverage of the postlaunch news conference will follow approximately one hour after the live launch broadcast ends. Coverage start time is subject to change, based exact liftoff time. The postlaunch news conference will include the following participants:
- Bill Nelson, NASA administrator
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
- Mike Bolger, Exploration Ground Systems Program manager, Kennedy
- Howard Hu, Orion Program manager, Johnson
- John Honeycutt, Space Launch System Program manager, Marshall
4 p.m.: Coverage of Orion’s first outbound trajectory burn on the way to the Moon. Time of coverage start time is subject to change, based on exact liftoff time.
5:30 p.m.: Coverage of first Earth views from Orion during outbound coast to the Moon.
NASA Television coverage of additional events throughout the mission is available online.
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