July 20: NASA gives a preliminary launch date for the Artemis I mission for August 29, 2022, 8:33 a.m. EDT (12:33 UTC), and the launch window is open for 120 minutes up to 10:32 a.m. EDT (14:32 UTC).
July 2: Jim Free, associate administrator with the agency’s Explorations Systems Development program, said this week NASA is working toward an August 23rd to September 6th launch window for Artemis 1. "That's the one we're targeting," Free told the outlet. "We'd be foolish not to target that right now. We made incredible progress last week."
Artemis 1 is a planned uncrewed test flight for NASA's Artemis program. It is the first flight of the agency's Space Launch System super heavy-lift launch vehicle and the first flight of the Orion MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle).
The uncrewed Artemis I mission will launch from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B and is the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Artemis deep space exploration systems. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, the mission will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s commitment and capability to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and beyond.
Formerly known as Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), the mission was renamed after the introduction of the Artemis program. The launch will be held at Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at the Kennedy Space Center, where an Orion spacecraft will be sent on a mission of 25.5 days, 6 of those days in a retrograde orbit around the Moon.
The mission will certify the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System launch vehicle for crewed flights beginning with the second flight test of the Orion and Space Launch System, Artemis 2.
There are several launch windows for Artemis 1:
Aug. 29 - 8:33 a.m. EDT (12:33 UTC) - 120 minutes open
Sept. 2 - 12:48 p.m. EDT (16:48 UTC) - 120 minutes open
Sept. 3 - 2:17 p.m. EDT (18:17 UTC) - 120 minutes open
Sept. 4 - 3:44 p.m. EDT (19:44 UTC) - 120 minutes open
Sept. 5 - 5:12 p.m. EDT (21:12 UTC) - 90 minutes open
Sept. 6 - 6:57 p.m. EDT (22:57 UTC) - 24 minutes open
August 30, August 31, and September 1 is the Moon out of reach, or it is not guaranteed that the solar panels of Orion are min. 90 minutes in the sun to have the best electricity power. Also, it has to consider that the sun has too much pull because of gravity on the spacecraft during some periods.
Additionally, for Artemis 1 in 2022:
Sept. 20 – Oct. 4: 14 launch opportunities, excluding Sept. 29
Oct. 17 – Oct. 31: 11 launch opportunities, excluding Oct. 24, 25, 26, and 28
Nov. 12 – Nov. 27: 12 launch opportunities, excluding Nov. 20, 21, and 26
Dec. 9 – Dec. 23: 11 launch opportunities, excluding Dec. 10, 14, 18, and 23
Additionally, for Artemis launches in 2023:
Jan. 7-20: 10 launch opportunities, excluding Jan. 10, 12, 13 and 14
Feb. 3-17: 14 launch opportunities, excluding Feb. 10
March: 19 launch opportunities between March 1-17 and March 29-31, excluding March 11 and March 18-28
April: 14 launch opportunities between April 1-13 and April 26-30, excluding April 2, 3, 7, 9, and 14-25
May: 14 launch opportunities between May 1-10 and May 26-31, excluding May 8 and May 11-25
June: 13 launch opportunities from June 1-6, on June 20, and from June 24-30, excluding June 5, 7-19, and 21-23
The SLS will send the Orion spacecraft a mission of between 26 and 42 days, with at least 6 days in a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon.
The mission will certify the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System launch vehicle for crewed flights beginning with the second flight test of the Orion and Space Launch System, Artemis 2.
Following missions:
Artemis 2 - 2024
First scheduled crewed mission of NASA's Orion spacecraft is planned to be launched by the Space Launch System (SLS) in May 2024. The crewed Orion spacecraft will perform a lunar flyby test and return to Earth. This is the first crewed spacecraft to travel beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. Formerly known as Exploration Mission-2 (EM-2), the mission was renamed after the introduction of the Artemis program.
Artemis 3 - 2025
Artemis 3 (officially Artemis III) is planned as the first crewed Moon landing mission of the Artemis program and the first crewed flight of a Starship HLS lander. Scheduled for launch in 2025, Artemis 3 is planned to be the second crewed Artemis mission and the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Artemis 4 - 2027
Artemis 4 (officially Artemis IV) is the fourth planned mission of NASA's Artemis Program. The mission will launch four astronauts on a Space Launch System rocket and an Orion to the Gateway Space Station.
Artemis 5 - NET 2027
Artemis 5 (officially Artemis V) is the fifth planned mission and second crewed landing of NASA's Artemis Program. The mission will launch four astronauts on a Space Launch System rocket and an Orion to the Moon's south pole. In addition, Artemis V will also deliver two new elements to the Gateway Space Station.
