Florida: The US space agency NASA has successfully launched its mission to the moon after 50 years. The Artemis-1 mission is the most important mission after NASA’s Mars mission. NASA is sending the Orion spaceship to the Moon through this rocket. The spaceship will travel to the moon and return in 42 days. However, when this rocket was being launched, a sudden incident took place due to which the lives of the scientists were endangered.
The rocket took off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at 12.17 am India time on Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, hydrogen started leaking from the rocket. Scientists were horrified by the sight of hydrogen leaking from the rocket. Repairs were started immediately and the scientists corrected the defect in time. Earlier launch attempts were also made on August 29 and September 3, but had to be postponed due to technical glitches and bad weather.
This rocket will travel 4.50 lakh km
The Orion Spaceship will be atop the world’s most powerful and largest rocket. This spacecraft is designed for human space travel. It can cover a distance that no spaceship has done till date. The Orion spacecraft will first travel 4.50 lakh km from Earth to the Moon. After that it will move 64 thousand km towards the dark side of the moon. The Orion spacecraft will be the first spacecraft to travel this far without docking with the International Space Station.
What is the Artemis-1 mission?
Orion and SLS rockets will reach the Moon and return to Earth during the Artemis-1 mission. Meanwhile, both will showcase their abilities. This is a litmus test before future lunar missions. If it succeeds, by the year 2025, an astronaut will be sent to the Moon for the first time, just like the Artemis mission. Only after the Artemis-1 mission will NASA scientists develop other necessary technologies to reach the Moon. So that one can travel beyond the moon to Mars.
SLS is the world’s largest rocket
The SLS rocket and Orion launched from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Station. This launch pad is advanced. The rocket is launched with five segmented boosters. Four of which are powered by RS-25 engines. This engine is very modern and powerful. It can reach the top of the atmosphere in 90 seconds. The RS-25 engine will separate about 8 minutes after the solid booster separates two minutes earlier. Its boosters will then release the service module and the spaceship, giving it the momentum it needs for its onward journey into space.
The European Space Agency is also involved in the mission
The Orion spacecraft will separate from the cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) with the service module two hours after launch. After this ICPS will deploy ten small satellites i.e. CubeSats into space. These satellites will monitor Orion’s journey and remote space activities during this mission. The service module is developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). The module itself is Orion’s main propulsion system.
How would Orion travel to the Moon?
Orion will travel 97 kilometers to the nearest moon and 64 thousand kilometers to the farthest. On the Moon, it will move in an elliptical orbit. It will be the first time a spaceship built by humans for humans will go this far into space. After making another round of the moon, Orion will start its engines. will emerge from its gravity and head towards Earth.
Orion Spaceship Return Speed The mission will end as soon as Orion returns to Earth
It will have a speed of 40 thousand kilometers per hour before returning to Earth. As soon as it enters the atmosphere, its speed will increase to 480 kilometers per hour. At that time it has to withstand a temperature of about 2800 degrees Celsius. Here its heatshield will be examined. The spacecraft’s two parachutes will open 25,000 feet above sea level. Then its speed will decrease to 160 km per hour. After some time its main three parachutes will open. Then its speed will be 32 kilometers per hour. It will then land in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.