NASA will send an unmanned space shuttle into lunar orbit on Monday, marking the initial launch of an ambitious plan to establish a long-term presence on the moon for scientific discovery and economic development.
The space shuttle, named Artemis 1, will travel for about 40 days, coming within 60 miles of the moon, then 40,000 miles above the moon as it orbits its dark side, before landing in the Pacific Ocean opposite from the coast of San. Diego.
Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, the White House said Friday. At least 100,000 people will also watch on the beaches of Cape Canaveral as the shuttle takes off, Florida tourism officials estimated.
If the launch is successful, NASA will send a crew into lunar orbit on Artemis 2 in 2024. Ultimately, the Artemis expedition as a whole could lead to the first manned space trip to Mars, NASA says.
Here’s everything you need to know about Monday’s release:
The Artemis I rocket sits on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 26, 2022, ahead of its planned August 29 launch.
Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images
When is the release?
A two-hour launch window begins at 8:33 a.m. ET on Monday, meaning the launch could happen anytime during the following two-hour period. But the launch may not happen Monday morning, as NASA meets a strict set of weather criteria that determine whether a flight can proceed.
U.S. Space Force meteorologists for space launch Delta 45 predicted a 70 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch window Monday morning, according to a NASA blog post Thursday.
The launch will be postponed, for example, if the temperature at both 132.5 feet and 257.5 feet exceeds 94.5 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 consecutive minutes. NASA imposes additional weather restrictions, some of which depend on wind and humidity conditions.
If the launch does not take place on Monday, a second two-hour launch wind will begin on Friday, September 2 at 12:38 am ET. If NASA postpones the second launch, a third two-hour window will begin on Monday, September 5 at 5:12 PM ET.
How do you see the launch?
ABC News will broadcast the launch live on Monday. Coverage will begin around 8:30am ET, right when the time window begins. ABC News may not broadcast from launch if takeoff is delayed before the time window begins.
Additionally, NASA will stream the launch on its website. Eager viewers can watch a live stream from the launch site on YouTube.
What will the launch event entail?
NASA’s live broadcast of the launch will include celebrity appearances by Jack Black, Chris Evans and Keke Palmer, as well as a special performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Josh Grobin and Herbie Hancock.
The event will also feature a performance of “America the Beautiful” by the Philadelphia Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
The Artemis 1 rocket is framed by tall grass as it stands ready on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center on August 26, 2022 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Brynn Anderson/AP
When is the shuttle coming back?
If the shuttle lifts off Monday morning, the mission will last 42 days, after which the shuttle will blast off into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on Oct. 10 at 11:53 a.m. ET.
If the shuttle lifts off during the second launch window, on September 2, the mission will last 39 days with a Pacific splashdown on October 11; while a release during the third window, on September 5, would last 42 days and end on October 17.
What’s next for the Artemis expedition?
Altogether, the Artemis expedition includes four missions, each of which will cost approximately $4.1 billion. In total, the project will cost up to $93 billion by 2025, according to an audit by NASA’s Office of the Inspector General.
If Artemis 1 is successful, Artemis 2 will bring four astronauts close to the Moon in 2024. After that, Artemis 3 will take a manned shuttle for a landing on the Moon. Eventually, Artemis 4 will fly to a space station near the Moon.
NASA hopes that the Artemis expedition will enable a manned trip to Mars in the coming years.