Artemis I

Artemis I was an uncrewed mission to orbit the Moon, launched by NASA on November 16, 2022. It was the first big spaceflight of the Artemis program, marking NASA’s return to the Moon after almost fifty years since the Apollo program ended. The main goal of Artemis I was to test the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket, especially the heat shield, to get ready for future missions with astronauts.

The Orion spacecraft was ready for launch in October 2021, but there were some delays before it finally launched on November 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. After reaching orbit around Earth, the spacecraft traveled to the Moon, flew by it twice, and spent six days in a distant orbit before heading back to Earth.

Artemis I returned to Earth on December 11, 2022, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. This mission helped scientists and engineers make sure everything works well for the next mission, Artemis II, which will carry astronauts around the Moon in April 2026. The Artemis missions aim to establish a human presence on the Moon and prepare for future scientific studies, including exploration of Mars.

Mission profile

See also: Orion (spacecraft) and Space Launch System

Artemis I was launched using a special version of the Space Launch System. This version had a main part, two strong boosters, and an upper stage. The main part used engines from past space missions. Together, they gave lots of power to lift the spacecraft off the ground.

After reaching space, the upper stage helped guide the Orion spacecraft and ten small satellites toward the Moon. Orion flew alone to the Moon and orbited it before returning to Earth. It got very close to the Moon and traveled far from our planet during its trip.

Mission profile animation of Artemis I

Earth-centered inertial reference frame

Earth-centered frame rotating with Moon

  Earth ·   Artemis I ·   Moon

Background

Artemis I was NASA's first big space flight after the Apollo missions, which happened almost 50 years earlier. It was a trip without any astronauts around the Moon to test new spacecraft and rockets. The mission helped make sure everything was safe for future trips with astronauts.

The mission started as Exploration Mission-1 in 2012, planned for 2017. It would have been the first flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the second test of the Orion spacecraft. Over the years, the plans changed a bit, but the goal stayed the same: to test the new spacecraft and rocket for future Moon missions.

Flight

Artemis I was a mission without astronauts that went around the Moon. It was the first big spaceflight of NASA's Artemis program, which means NASA is going back to explore the Moon after many years. The mission tested the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

The mission launched on November 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. After launch, the Orion spacecraft went to the Moon, went around it, and then came back to Earth. On December 11, 2022, the Orion spacecraft landed in the Pacific Ocean near Guadalupe Island off the Baja peninsula in Mexico. The mission helped get ready for future trips with astronauts.

Payloads

The Orion spacecraft carried three special mannequins with sensors to learn what astronauts might feel during a trip to the Moon. One mannequin, named “Captain Moonikin Campos,” sat in the commander’s seat and had sensors to measure radiation, movement, and vibrations. With it were two other mannequins, “Helga” and “Zohar,” which helped scientists study radiation exposure during the mission. Zohar had a special shield to protect against radiation, while Helga did not. These mannequins gave important information about radiation levels and how safe the trip could be for future astronauts.

Orion also carried a small plush doll of NASA’s Snoopy as a fun zero-gravity indicator, and a toy of Shaun the Sheep to represent the European Space Agency’s part in the mission. The spacecraft had commemorative stickers, patches, seeds, and flags from many countries. It also carried a technology demonstration called Callisto, which used video conferencing and a virtual assistant to send and receive messages from people on Earth.

Cubesats

Ten small satellites called CubeSats flew with Artemis I to explore different parts of space. These satellites were made by different teams and countries to study the Sun, the Moon, and space radiation. Some of these satellites worked well, while others faced problems and could not complete all their tasks.

Public outreach

NASA designers from the SLS, Orion spacecraft, and Exploration Ground Systems teams created the Artemis I mission patch. The silver border stands for the color of the Orion spacecraft. In the middle, you can see the SLS and Orion. The red and blue paths around the white full Moon show the teamwork of Americans and people from the European Space Agency.

NASA wanted to get people excited about the mission. They made a website where everyone could get a digital boarding pass for the mission. The names people sent in were put on a flash drive inside the Orion spacecraft.