How to Watch Artemis I Launch Attempt?

Science and Technology, Space Science, Technology, World

NASA is set to launch the Artemis I mission Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for a second time on September 3. According to NASA, the launch controllers were unable to cool down the four RS-25 rocket engines on August 29, when Artemis I was initially scheduled to begin its journey to the Moon and return. This resulted in the launch being postponed until the problems were fixed. NASA will start the launch coverage at 5:45am EDT (3:15pm IST), and the launch will happen a few hours later.

You can open Table of Contents show

At 2:17 PM ET, or 11:47 PM IST, Artemis I is slated to launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The Jettison Rocket Boosters will separate after liftoff, and the main engine will then shut down. The SLS rocket will orbit the Earth once before departing towards the Moon.

The capsule will then be propelled toward Earth’s sole natural satellite by the Orion’s rockets, bringing it around 100 kilometers close to the Moon’s surface. Orion will travel around 64,400 kilometers beyond the Moon and then return to Earth throughout the mission. A simulated crew consisting of one male and two female mannequins will be aboard the Orion, along with equipment to gauge the radiation levels within the spacecraft.

How to watch Artemis I launch

NASA will broadcast the Artemis I launch live from its official YouTube channel. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are additional platforms where you can follow the SLS rocket launch.

Onward. We're proceeding toward a Saturday, Sept. 3 launch for #Artemis I, with a two-hour window opening at 2:17pm ET (18:17 UTC). Live coverage begins at 12:15pm ET (16:15 UTC): https://t.co/UxIQDszwNB

— NASA (@NASA) September 1, 2022

Viewers in India can tune in starting at 11:47 IST for the Artemis I launch window, which begins at 2:17 PM ET at the launch site. Additionally, you can view the launch through the embedded player below.

Additionally, Facebook users can view the Artemis I lunar launch in 360-degree virtual reality thanks to Felix&Paul Studios. 90 minutes before launch, the VR feed will start. Former astronauts Karen Nyberg and Doug Hurley will serve as the hosts of the VR livestream on Meta’s Quest headsets.

What went wrong on August 29?

The launch attempt for Artemis I was aborted on August 29 because the launch controllers were unable to keep the RS-25 engines at the proper temperature throughout the flight, according to NASA communications expert Rachel Kraft.

The space agency had declared at the time that the SLS rocket was secure and stable when the Artemis I launch was aborted.

The revised launch date for Artemis I

On September 3, around 3:15 p.m. IST, fueling operations to fill the SLS rocket with propellant will start NASA’s coverage of the Artemis I moon launch.

At the beginning of a 2.5 hour built-in pause, which will start at 4:37am EDT, the launch countdown will restart (2:07pm IST).

Full lunar coverage, including the translunar injection and spacecraft separation, will start at 12:15 EDT (9:45 IST). After the launch broadcast ends in roughly an hour, NASA will host a post-launch news conference at 6pm EDT (September 4, 3:30am).