The Stars My Destination: Artemis I

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 1st Anniversary of Artemis I
One year ago to the day, 16 November 2022, Artemis I lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, an uncrewed, unnamed Orion C.M. atop a Space Launch System (S.L.S.) rocket: the first flight of the S.L.S. launch vehicle, only the second flight of an Orion capsule, & the first flight of a man-rated spacecraft beyond low Earth orbit (L.E.O.) since Apollo 17 in December 1972, almost fifty years earlier.

Over the next twenty-five days, the Orion completed two flybys & half of one distant retrograde orbit of the Moon, returned to Earth, successfully re-entered the atmosphere, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 5 December, & was recovered by the U.S.S. Portland.

"We are going!" Artemis I was only the beginning: The first crewed flight of an Orion, Artemis II, is currently scheduled for November 2024. An S.L.S. launched an Orion into L.E.O. & beyond the Moon for the first time, 16 November 2022, one year ago today.

The Wayback Machine Tour of Artemis I
Liftoff & the Road to Artemis I
Artemis I Launch
Artemis I Orbit
Artemis I Splashdown

Ex Luna, scientia.