CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.The four astronauts who are set to embark on a lunar journey in about a year have been given their initial look at the spacecraft they will be flying in, although NASA issued a caution on Tuesday regarding possible further delays.
With the distinct red “Remove Before Flight” tags still hanging from it, the astronauts examined the unfinished Orion capsule and walked away with a sense of awe. “There’s nothing else quite like that… it sent shivers down my spine,” shared astronaut Christina Koch with the press.
During a recent visit to the Kennedy Space Center on Monday and Tuesday, the American and Canadian crew meticulously inspected the capsule. NASA’s intention is to send this quartet around the moon and safely back to Earth in the late stages of the upcoming year.
Nevertheless, ongoing evaluations of the capsule’s heat shield have the potential to postpone this significant lunar journey by astronauts—the first in over fifty years. The uncrewed test flight encircling the moon from the previous year resulted in unforeseen scorching and material loss from the heat shield situated at the capsule’s base. This heat shield plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the capsule against the intense heat experienced during reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Looking ahead to the next mission of the Artemis program, which aims for a moon landing, more challenges loom, and the targeted time frame of late 2025 could potentially extend into 2026. The main challenge revolves around SpaceX’s Starship, the rocket that will transport two NASA astronauts from lunar orbit down to the moon’s southern pole.
Considering that SpaceX’s Starship has undergone just one test flight to date, ending in an explosion shortly after launch in April, NASA is harboring concerns regarding whether Elon Musk’s SpaceX can successfully meet the established deadlines. The space agency is withholding commitment to a moon landing using the Starship until SpaceX accomplishes several Starship orbital flights, establishes an Earth-based refueling depot, and completes a comprehensive rehearsal for the moon landing.
According to Jim Free, NASA’s chief of exploration systems development, a clearer understanding of the situation is expected by autumn. Astronaut Victor Glover admitted, “It’s evident that we have a significant amount of work ahead of us.”
Despite these lingering uncertainties, an optimistic atmosphere filled the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, which bears the name of the first person to set foot on the moon. The astronauts, assigned to this mission amidst excitement in the previous spring, were asked about their feelings while on such hallowed grounds.
Reid Wiseman, the commander of the crew, explained that the significance lies not in their personal journey but in the upcoming moon landing, as it will “carry the dream for us.”
In preparation for an upcoming acoustic test, over 200 rock concert speakers were positioned around the capsule. NASA is planning to subject the area to up to 143 decibels of thunderous noise, mimicking liftoff sounds, to assess the resilience of the capsule’s windows, wiring, and other components.
Pointing towards the capsule, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen remarked, “That’s real… it’s not a dream.”
