Artemis 1 - NASA Return to the Moon

[Gary]

NASA now targeting November for the launch

NASA's Space Launch System
3 h ·
After initial inspections Friday to assess potential impacts from Hurricane Ian. Teams at NASA's Kennedy Space Center have confirmed no damage to Artemis flight hardware, and facilities are in good shape.
NASA has determined it will focus Artemis I launch planning efforts on the launch period that opens Nov. 12 and closes Nov. 27.

Likely a shorter mission if they launch in November, with only the 27th allowing a longer mission

[Gary]

Next launch attempt has been announced form Monday 14th November at 05.07 UK time.

Only 25 #Midnights until the launch of #Artemis I!

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration is targeting the next launch attempt of the Space Launch System rocket carrying NASA’s Orion Spacecraft for Monday, Nov. 14, during a 69-minute launch window that opens at 12:07 a.m. EST.

[Gary]

NASA hoping for Wednesday launch

Teams at NASA's Kennedy Space Center were called to stations early this morning to begin preparing for the launch of #Artemis I! The two-hour launch window opens at 1:04 a.m. EST on Nov. 16.

Learn about how to watch launch day operations live >> https://go.nasa.gov/3AdPtcv

[Gary]

Lauch expected at 06.46.47

[Gary]

NASA starting to release some spectacular photos from the mission https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasaorion

On their social media, they have released photos of today’s flyby of the moon https://www.facebook.com/NASAOrion

[slogen51]

On return to earth Orion entered a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO)

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/orion-will ... -artemis-i

"DRO is highly stable because of its interactions with two points of the planet-moon system where objects tend to stay put, balanced between the gravitational pull of two large masses – in this case the Earth and Moon – which allows a spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption and remain in position while traveling around the Moon."

Lifted from Wikipedia :-
"A distant retrograde orbit (DRO), as most commonly conceived, is a spacecraft orbit around a moon that is highly stable because of its interactions with two Lagrange points (L1 and L2) of the planet–moon system."

DRO puts a spacecraft into stable Lagrange points - points of stability between a two object system such as the earth and the moon or the earth and the sun. Apparently the James Webb telescope is in a Lagrange point between the earth and the sun.

What amazes me is that the solution to the so called three body problem was discovered in 1750 by Leonhard Euler and published in a paper in 1772 by Joseph-Louis Lagrange

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange_point

The maths in celestial mechanics is just mind blowing and it fascinates me that before any computers or space technology 18 century mathematicians could correctly propose formula that are still used by NASA

[Freeman Lowell]

What amazes me is that the solution to the so called three body problem was discovered in 1750 by Leonhard Euler and published in a paper in 1772 by Joseph-Louis Lagrange

In another one of those coincidences, Channel 4 ran the movie 'Hidden Figures' last night. It relates the story of three African-American women working at NASA during the Space Race.

In the movie, when NASA realise they have no formula for moving John Glenn's Mercury capsule from an elliptical to a parabolic orbit for his return to earth, Katherine Goble recognises that they can use Euler's Method as a solution.

Freeman

[Nighthawk237]

I agree with Slogen's comments on the maths but also give a thought ancient civilizations and solar mechanics. Many civilizations were predicting eclipse events even though they would not see them due to both time and distances involved.

[Gary]

Artemis 1 due back to Earth on Sunday

[Gary]

Live coverage https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ ... tml#public