Laure Dautriche, edited by Ophélie Artaud 9:08 a.m., August 29, 2022
This Monday afternoon, the most powerful rocket in the world will take off for a 42-day mission around the Moon.
The objective of the Americans would be to establish a permanent presence there and to use the natural satellite as a testing ground for technologies that will soon make it possible to go to Mars.
Head to the Moon.
This Monday afternoon, at 2:30 p.m., the most powerful rocket in the world will take off for a 42-day mission around our natural satellite.
50 years after Apollo, Artemis will take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, under the leadership of NASA.
On the other hand, it was the Europeans who designed the Orion capsule.
Immediate first tests.
The objective is in a few years to have women and men live and work on the Moon.
The Americans want to establish a permanent presence there and use the Moon as a testing ground for technologies that will later be used to go to Mars.
General repetition
The Orion capsule will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth in 42 days.
Today, no astronaut on board, only three models.
It's a general rehearsal to test all the equipment, in particular the 33 engines.
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"In the path of the Moon there will be main engine tests and then there will be all the thrusts to get back to Earth. For the crewed missions, these will be shorter missions. They will not be missions of 42 days. The resources for the astronauts in the capsule are for a mission of just over twenty days, "explains Philippe Deleau, Orion project manager at the European Space Agency.
The first human landing on lunar soil is scheduled for 2025.