The SLS rocket will be the most powerful launch into space since the Apollo missions. The launcher is so powerful it has some energy to spare after putting Orion into Earth orbit. To fill up the extra potential the first Artemis launch will include several guest passengers, small “cubesat” satellites with their own missions and goals.
One of these side-missions is ArgoMoon, the Italian Space Agency’s, ASI, cubesat built by the Italian company Argotec through an agreement with NASA that will be the only European secondary payload on the first Artemis mission
After launch, ArgoMoon will be one of the first satellites to be deployed as it has a very interesting mission: to photograph the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) that propels Orion and the European Service Module onwards to the Moon from Earth orbit. The mission goal is to capture unique pictures of the ICPS for technical as well as outreach purposes.