Artemis I: NASA Targeting November 14 For The Next Launch Attempt Of Moon Mission

The 69-minute launch window on the targeted date will open at 12:07 am EST (9:37 pm IST).

NASA is targeting November 14 for the next launch attempt of the Artemis I mission. The 69-minute launch window on the targeted date will open at 12:07 am EST (9:37 pm IST). Artemis I, the first uncrewed flight of the Artemis Moon Mission, will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration.

The space agency has requested back-up launch opportunities for November 16, at 1:04 am EST (10:34 am IST) and November 19, at 1:45 am EST (11:15 am IST). On both days, the launch windows will last two hours.

The first launch attempt of Artemis I on August 29 was scrubbed due to technical issues with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. After this, the Artemis I mission was postponed several times. The uncrewed flight test was also delayed due to Hurricane Ian, the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

Artemis teams have confirmed that minimal work is required to prepare the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft to roll out to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, NASA said in a mission update. The SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft were rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to Hurricane Ian. NASA plans to roll the SLS rocket back to the launch pad as early as November 4. 

If Artemis I is launched on November 14, it would result in a mission duration of about 25-and-a-half days. Then, the Orion spacecraft will splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on December 9.

Orion will be carried atop the super-heavy lift rocket, SLS, without any human in the capsule. If Artemis I is successful, it will be certified that the SLS and Orion can be used for the other two Artemis missions, which will be crewed flights.

Artemis I will demonstrate the performance of both Orion and SLS and test NASA's capabilities to orbit the Moon and return to Earth. The first uncrewed test flight of the Artemis Program will pave the way for future missions to the lunar vicinity, including landing the first woman and the first person of colour on the surface of the Moon. 

The objective of Artemis I is to set the stage for human exploration into deep space, where astronauts will build and begin testing the systems near the Moon needed for lunar exploration missions and to other destinations farther from Earth, including the Red Planet.