When is the NASA SLS launch date?

[Adrian A]

NASA finally released some full-resolution imagery from the onboard cameras!

Artemis I

Explore this photo album by NASA Johnson on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Here's the 12 MP version of the coolest shot so far (IMO)


Zoom in on this one:



The cameras have a fixed focus optimized for best detail in these inspection tasks, which is why the Earth isn't quite as crisp as it could have otherwise been.

 

[kuririn]

Flyby burn occurred on the backside of the moon, out of communication range.
So no live pics.
Here's a pic from one of the solar array wingtip cameras. Orion, earth and the moon on approach:

Also the real time graphic in the lower left corner of the live stream showed 600+ miles from the moon at the closest approach when it should have been around 80 miles. So take those graphic figures with a grain of salt.

 

[hobie1dog]

marvel of engineering

 

[Marc_G]

Loved the look back at the blue marble. I was bummed though, in that I had not thought through that the close approach would be on the backside of the moon (yeah, duh!), so I was anticipating live views of the surface from 81 miles as it skimmed over. I tuned in shortly after the channel went live at 7:15, and quickly came up to speed, feeling silly.

Oh well, very relieved that the burns went as planned and everything is on track.

We need to get some comms relays out there to avoid the dark side blackout periods if we are going to be doing a lot more around the moon.

 

[Sherlock]

I've enjoyed following the mission on the NASA website and also on this thread! It makes me want to build a model. Northcoast showed off a kit at NARAM in Springfield this past summer, does anyone have an idea when it may be coming out? My recollection was that it was supposed to be issued this fall . . .

Also, does anyone know of a vendor for 3D printed parts for the Artemis / SLS? I see that there are data files out there for those who have a 3D printer (I don't), but nobody seems to be selling these already printed and designed for model rocketry.

 

[cls]

Also the real time graphic in the lower left corner of the live stream showed 600+ miles from the moon at the closest approach when it should have been around 80 miles.

yikes! that's pretty far off, if true.

 

[Cape Byron]

 

[Reinhard]

That's not a live stream, and probably a rendering.

That "live video" claimed that Earth will be visible in 18 minutes at the time a was watching it. Another "live video" from that same channel showed the Earth. Neither video allows scrolling backwards (never saw that in a YouTube live stream before).
The official NASA stream currently shows the Earth from the ISS and the perspective is not consistent with the Artemis tracker on the NASA HP:

NASA: Artemis I

Artemis I will be the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a sustained human presence at the Moon for decades to come.

www.nasa.gov

Reinhard

 

[Cape Byron]

That's not a live stream, and probably a rendering.

Well, that's a poop.

 

[Funkworks]

This I guess is the flyby but it'd be more fun at 24x speed or so.

 

[Cape Byron]

Looking down...

 

[kuririn]

Next milestone is the distant retrograde orbital insertion burn.
Scheduled in about half an hour from now.
BTW NASA/Johnson released pics of the lunar flyby behind the moon.
Here's one.

 

[Marc_G]

Coverage on NASA TV just started for DRO insertion.

Hmmm. Seems to be about 2 minutes delayed. Saw time on desktop PC behind narrator, was two mins behind actual.

 

[kuririn]

Flight control confirms a good burn.

 

[kuririn]

The live feed cut out during the burn. I wonder if the plasma from the exhaust had anything to do with that? Anyway here's a live shot after the burn.


I presume that's the moon.

 

[psmcginnis5]

That’s no moon.

 

[kuririn]

That’s no moon.

It ain't earth, and those are the only two objects close by.

 

[Blast it Tom!]

"That's no moon..."

 

[kuririn]

"That's no moon..."

Uh oh.

 

[MClark]

Next milestone is the distant retrograde orbital insertion burn.
Scheduled in about half an hour from now.
BTW NASA/Johnson released pics of the lunar flyby behind the moon.
Here's one.
View attachment 547653

So this must be the Farside. It’s nicely illuminated now.
It would be great if it came back with good pictures of whatever mysteries lurk there.

 

[thequick]

"That's no moon..."

And the “trip” off topic continues

 

[kuririn]

Flight Day12 (Mon. Nov. 28): Orions' star trackers and reaction control thrusters were tested. It also reached the farthest distance from earth in the mission at nearly 270,000 miles.
Flight Day 13 (Tues. Nov. 29): Halfway point of the mission. A scheduled maintenance burn was cancelled since it was not needed. Because of the success of the mission so far seven more test objectives were added. Screenshot from a video sent back on the moon eclipsing the earth: (Or is it the Death Star?)


Flight Day 14 (Wed. Nov. 30): More testing of the thrusters in a different configuration. Continued testing of the star trackers in different thermal states.

 

[mach7]

That is a VERY cool photo!

If I'm correct, Artemis is about 45,000 miles from the moon?

EDIT:

Looks kind of like the the end credits from UFO.

EDIT 2:

Close, but reversed.

 

[kuririn]

Flight Day 15 (Thurs. Dec. 1):
Orion will conduct a burn to depart the distant retrograde orbit and begin its' journey back to earth today. Four additional test objectives were added to the return trip to further evaluate the spacecrafts' capabilities.

 

[kuririn]

DRO departure burn was successful.
Next milestone will be on Dec. 5, when Orion does another close flyby of the moon and uses the moons' gravity along with another burn to send it into a trajectory toward earth.
The mission has been highly successful so far,
Only a few minor glitches, like the comm cutout.

 

[Marc_G]

Very interesting discussion about timelines and budgets:

Ars Technica: After the Artemis I mission’s brilliant success, why is an encore 2 years away?.

After the Artemis I mission’s brilliant success, why is an encore 2 years away?

"I would say that we’re going to try our best to get there."

arstechnica.com

 

[kuririn]

Screenshot of Orion as it approaches the far side of the moon for today's powered flyby. The object in the lower right corner is the crescent earth (!).
Briefing at 5 PM to discuss the burn.

 

[OverTheTop]

The mission is looking to be a success, but at what cost?

After the Artemis I mission’s brilliant success, why is an encore 2 years away?

"I would say that we’re going to try our best to get there."

arstechnica.com

 

[kuririn]

According to the briefing, the powered flyby burn was "spot on".
Re-entry in about 5 1/2 days, on Dec. 11.
I learned something interesting: it will be a skip re-entry. The capsule will do two dips into the atmosphere. Presumably to bleed off speed and energy.
Looking forward to it.

 

[smstachwick]

According to the briefing, the powered flyby burn was "spot on".
Re-entry in about 5 1/2 days, on Dec. 11.
I learned something interesting: it will be a skip re-entry. The capsule will do two dips into the atmosphere. Presumably to bleed off speed and energy.
Looking forward to it.

Something about that sounds like it’d be incredibly dangerous in a crewed flight. Like they’d skip off the atmosphere and go careening off into space.