NASA reveals shocking images of the megarocket they are preparing to return to the Moon

2023-10-25 03:43:00

The NASA began last October 17 last stage of testing certification of RS-25 engines, as part of the propellant development process for the rocket SLS (Space Launch System) and according to the published images, everything is going as expected. These engines will be crucial to power future Artemis missions to the Moon.

This is excellent news for both the SLS as for him Artemis programan ambitious project space exploration which aims to return humans to the Moon and, beyond that, establish a sustainable presence on its surface and orbit, the first surveys for the lunar resource extraction and ultimately serve as a springboard for future manned missions to Mars.

NASA carries out tests to return to the Moon.

These are twelve tests planned through next year that aim to collect “data on the performance of several key new engine components, including a nozzle, actuators, flexible ducts and turbopumps,” according to NASA’s official site.

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During the first evaluation phase, NASA operators put RS-25 engine running for more than nine minutes, exceeding the 500 seconds needed for a real mission, on the Fred Haise test bed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. In addition, they performed a 111% power test, as required for the launch of the SLS, as detailed by NASA.

Following NASA’s instructions on its official blog, these tests are a crucial element in the process that will allow Aerojet Rocketdynethe company in charge of the SLS engines and belonging to L3Harris Technologies, will produce the engines intended to power the SLS rocket during the next missions within the Artemis program.

It is important to highlight that manned trips to space are too expensive and require substantial financial support to continue lunar exploration.

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Due to this reason, earlier this year, NASA delayed the schedule of the Artemis II mission to award contracts for the manned lunar lander. Additionally, he hoped to obtain a total budget of $3.2 billion from Congress to finance the project, although he ultimately received $850 million due to the change of president in the United States two years ago.

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After these problems, the US space agency inaugurated the first unmanned mission back to the Moon in November last year: Artemis I; It successfully took off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States, after trying four times. In the long term, the Artemis program aims to lay the foundations for a new era of space exploration and if NASA follows its chronological order, the Artemis II mission with crew on board will take place in 2024.

It is worth mentioning that, since 1972, the Moon has been deserted from human presence. Gene Cernanthe astronaut of the mission Apollo 17, was the last human being to walk on the Earth’s satellite. Beyond the economic considerations of the project, signs of progress in the Artemis program raise hope that lunar exploration can continue.

RM/ED