Artemis I launched in November 2022 as NASA’s first uncrewed Moon-orbiting mission.
NASA's ground testing recreated char loss on the heat shield material but did not replicate the exact material response or flight environment experienced during Artemis I.
The US is projected to spend $93 billion on the Artemis effort by FY 2025, with production and operations costs of $4.1 billion per launch for Artemis I through IV.
Artemis I in 2022 used the first Orion spacecraft powered by ESM-1.
Artemis I traveled more than 2 million kilometers, experienced a temperature range wider than 200°C, and reached a maximum speed of 40,0 m/h (11 km/s).
Northrop Grumman provided the twin five-segment solid rocket boosters for the Artemis I SLS rocket that delivered more than 75 percent of the rocket’s thrust at launch.
Space Delta 2 provided support to Artemis I to allow Delta 2 sensors to test cislunar tracking tactics, techniques, and procedures for future crewed missions.
Space Delta 2 and its components—the 15th Space Surveillance Squadron, 18th Space Defense Squadron, 19th Space Defense Squadron, and 20th Space Surveillance Squadron—collaborated during Artemis I to test capabilities to maintain custody of cislunar objects.
Artemis I launched from Space Launch Complex 39B on 2022-11-16.
Orion traveled more than 1.4 million miles on a path around the Moon and returned safely to Earth, completing the Artemis I flight test.
Aerojet Rocketdyne provided 39 propulsive elements for Artemis I, including RS-25 and RL10 engines and the jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System.
Orion’s European Service Module, designed and built by Airbus engineers, powered the spacecraft around the Moon on Artemis I.
The Artemis I launch occurred on 2022-11-16.
The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) used on Artemis I was powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne-built RL10B-2 engine generating 11,226 kg of thrust.
Four RS-25 core-stage engines built and upgraded by Aerojet Rocketdyne powered the Space Launch System’s core stage during Artemis I.
The RS-25 core-stage engines performed a prescribed burn of 8 minutes and 2 seconds during Artemis I.
The ICPS on Artemis I features 12 Aerojet Rocketdyne-built MR-106 reaction control system thrusters.
NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I flight test launched from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center on 2022-11-16 at 1:47 a.m. ET.
Artemis I is planned to travel approximately 40,0 m beyond the Moon and return to Earth over the course of 25.5 days.
Two previous Artemis I launch attempts were waved off on 2022-08-29 due to a faulty temperature sensor and on 2022-09-04 due to a liquid hydrogen leak on an interface between the rocket and mobile launcher.