Innovation & Tech Today - CA (2020-10)

2020 YEAR-END ISSUE | INNOVATION & TECH TODAY 21

DEPARTMENTS / Space

on Earth through advancements in technology
and job creation,” he continued. “As a
cornerstone of the Artemis program, the
spacecraft is like no other in history and will
carry astronauts to the Moon and on to Mars for
many decades to come. It will become the
defining space achievement of this era,” Hawes
shared.

The technology and lessons learned in the
Artemis program are also expected to usher in a
new age of deep space flight and exploration,
culminating with a trip to Mars sometime in the
2030s. The trip to the red planet will take 234
days, and because of orbital dynamics, the
astronauts will have to wait a few months before
departing.

The Launch Rundown
According to Boeing, the rocket will produce
8.8 million pounds of thrust and carry a vehicle
weighing nearly six million pounds to orbit on
liftoff. Propelled by a pair of five-segment
boosters and four RS-25 engines, the rocket will
reach the period of greatest atmospheric force
within ninety seconds.

After jettisoning the boosters, service module
panels, and launch abort system, the core stage
engines will shut down and the core stage will
separate from the spacecraft.

As the spacecraft makes an orbit of Earth, it

will deploy its solar arrays and the upper stage,

while the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage

(ICPS) gives Orion the big push needed to

leave Earth’s orbit and travel toward the Moon.

From there, Orion will separate from the ICPS

within about two hours after launch. The ICPS

will then deploy several small satellites, known

as CubeSats, to perform experiments and

technology demonstrations.

The Moon

The Orion will communicate with mission

control, switching from the TDRS system to the

Deep Space Network. It will run through its

communications, navigation, and operational

paces to test systems. Flying about 100 KM

above the surface of the moon, it will use the

Moon’s gravitational force to drop into a new

deep retrograde orbit (70,000 KM from the

moon surface) for about six days to collect

information.

Return and Re-entry

The Orion will fly closer to the moon before

firingitsservicemoduleenginestoaccelerate

backtowardEarth,againusinglunargravityto

maneuverintoitsreturnflighttrajectory.The

spacecraftwillsplashdownofftheCalifornia

coast,wheretheU.S.Navywillretrievetheship

andcrew.

John Honeycutt, NASA’s SLS Program

Manager, said: “as travel to the Moon becomes

more sustainable and routine, this will open up

all sorts of opportunities for NASA and our

commercial and international partners.”

“The Space Launch System will send

astronauts to the Moon for missions that will

open up a new era of travel to deep space,” he

finished. Q

Credit: Lockheed Martin

Credit: NASA / Radislav Sinyak

“ Throughout the

history of mankind,

curiosity about

science and nature

has fueled the

betterment of

humanity. We are

very excited to see

NASA and the

reinvigorated space

industry refocusing

on space travel.”

• Corey Lee,
  CEO, Celestron