NASA announces its third delay for the highly anticipated launch of its Artemis I Space Launch System rocket.
The launch was originally scheduled for Aug. 29 but was postponed to Sept. 3 and again to Sept. 27. Due to the Kennedy Space Center’s location on the east coast of Florida, NASA decided to delay the launch further in the interest of protecting its employees and their families.
When will the Artemis I launch?
The projected launch window ends on Oct. 4. NASA is preparing for rollback with a decision to be made on Sunday. If the storm changes course, they will be able to make their attempt at a launch.
If there’s no change in the storm’s course, they will be forced to remove the craft from the tarmac. No alternative launch date has been proposed.
What will the Artemis I do for space travel?
This launch is supposed to allow NASA to test out its new Space Launch System technology. The rocket’s flight will last 42 days and its data will allow NASA to prepare to send astronauts to the moon again.
The next stage of the plan, Artemis II, is poised to launch in 2024 wherein a crew of four astronauts will orbit the moon and collect data.
The final stage is slated for the next year and includes a moon landing, the first since the Apollo mission in 1972.