While NASA’s previous nightly launches involved the launch scene of the Space Launch System’s (SLS) debut, the Artemis 1 mission itself will be carried out by a brand new spacecraft called the Orion.
There are currently three Orion spacecraft, one launched into space and two more in preparation for future lunar exploration.
NASA’s space capsule will reach 40,000 miles past the Moon during the Artemis 1 mission, making it the farthest manned spacecraft in history. Here are seven features of Orion.
1. Multiple astronauts can go on board
Artemis 1 is not a crewed mission, but will use dummies to test life support systems ahead of Artemis 2 and 3.Artemis 3For the first time in history, a woman and a black human will land on the moon.
The crew module of the Orion spacecraft seats four, so up to four beds (sleeping bags) can be used. There are shadows covering all six windows of the capsule. It can support astronauts for up to 21 days.
2. Composed of 3 parts
The Orion spacecraft consists of three parts. Astronauts board the crew core module. The top is equipped with a “Launch Abort System” safety device to safely exit the capsule when the rocket fails on the launch pad. Detaches and falls after Orion is in orbit.
Behind the crew module is the European Service Module (ESM), made by the European Space Agency (ESA), which provides propulsion, solar energy and even life support (management of water, oxygen, etc.).
The mission will be the first time a NASA spacecraft will be powered by European engineering. Artemis isn’t just an American mission, it’s a global mission.
3. Equipped with 16 cameras
This is the first spacecraft built for the multimedia age. “Each of Orion’s four solar wings contains a commercially available camera highly modified for use in space,” said David Melendrez, director of image integration for the Orion program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. the spaceship looks like.”
These cameras not only help engineers align solar panels and view the modules themselves,Orion’s “selfie” with the Earth and Moon in the backgroundyou can also take.
