N° 2–2022: Artemis I mission to the Moon: media invited to attend the launch
20 January 2022
Media accreditation is now open for launch and prelaunch activities related to NASA’s Artemis I mission to the Moon. The launch of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft is targeted for no earlier than March 2022 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA will set an official target launch date after a successful ‘wet dress rehearsal’ test – one of the final tests before launch involving fuel loaded into the rocket – currently planned for late February.
NASA will launch Orion on its first Artemis mission, Artemis I, the first of many that will rely on the European Service Module (ESM) to provide the resources to keep Orion on track around the Moon and back to Earth. This series of missions will see humans set their feet on the Moon for the first time since 1972.
The Orion spacecraft is built by NASA in collaboration with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin. ESA is supplying the ESM in collaboration with its prime contractor Airbus. This is the only spacecraft presently capable of crewed spaceflight to, and high-speed Earth reentry from, the vicinity of the Moon.
Orion’s service module, the ESM, is the powerhouse of the spacecraft. It provides in-space propulsion for orbital transfer, power and thermal control, attitude control and high-altitude ascent aborts. While connected with the crew module, it also provides water and air to support the crew.
US media must apply by 16:00 EST/ 22:00 CET Monday, 7 February, and international media without US citizenship must apply by 16:00 EST/ 22:00 CET Monday, 31 January. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.
Media is requested to submit all accreditation requests online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov
For more information, please refer to the NASA media advisory: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-launch-of-new-mega-moon-rocket-and-spacecraft
Social media
Twitter: @ESA, @esaspaceflight, @NASA_Orion
Instagram: Europeanspaceagency
Facebook: EuropeanSpaceAgency
YouTube: ESA
Official hashtags: #ForwardToTheMoon #ExploreFarther
Images
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Search?SearchText=European+Service+Module&result_type=images
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images
Terms and conditions for using ESA images:
www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images
For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.
Videos
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos
Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions
For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.
About the European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Slovenia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.
ESA has established formal cooperation with five Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int
For further information:
ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Ninja Menning
Email: media@esa.int
Tel: +31 71 565 6409