The space agency's uncrewed Orion spacecraft lifted off atop Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, for its flight test debut at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is now on its way to the Moon -- a 26-day mission in which the spacecraft is planned to travel approximately 40,000 miles beyond the lunar planet and return to Earth.
After reaching its initial orbit, Orion deployed its solar arrays and engineers began performing checkouts of the spacecraft’s systems. About 1.5 hours into flight, the rocket’s upper stage engine successfully fired for approximately 18 minutes to give Orion the big push needed to send it out of Earth orbit and toward the Moon.
Orion has separated from its upper stage and is on its outbound coast to the Moon powered by its service module, which is the propulsive powerhouse provided by ESA (European Space Agency).
The Artemis I mission is a critical part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, an important test for the agency before flying astronauts on the Artemis II mission.
Orion is expected to fly by the Moon on Nov. 21, performing a close approach of the lunar surface on its way to a distant retrograde orbit, a highly stable orbit thousands of miles beyond the Moon.
“The Space Launch System rocket delivered the power and performance to send Orion on its way to the Moon,” said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager. “With the accomplishment of the first major milestone of the mission, Orion will now embark on the next phase to test its systems and prepare for future missions with astronauts.”
With this launch SLS is currently the most powerful active rocket in the world, beating SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket.
SLS itself will soon lose the distinction as world's most powerful rocket to SpaceX's Starship which could fly its first orbital test flight by the end of the year.
NASA recently awarded a contract modification to SpaceX to further develop its Starship human landing system to meet agency requirements for long-term human exploration of the Moon under Artemis. With this addition, the Texas-based rocket company will provide a second crewed landing demonstration mission in 2027 as part of Artemis IV mission.
WATCH the liftoff of Orion spacecraft atop SLS rocket from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida