NASA’s Artemis I Progresses Toward Launch
February 12 2020 - 11:57AM
The flight hardware has been built, the launch facilities are
ready, and NASA and its industry partners are checking off final
milestones for the launch that will put America on the path to
landing the first woman and next man on the Moon. The Artemis I
mission – the culmination of work by people across the country in
support of the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion and Exploration
Ground System (EGS) programs – will preserve the nation’s
leadership in human space exploration and set the U.S. on a new
journey to explore deep space.
“Thanks to the hard work of women and men across
our country, NASA’s deep space exploration system is the Artemis
program’s foundation. With their contributions, America leads in
human exploration at the Moon and it will be the same for Mars,”
said NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard. “The success of the
Artemis program depends on our suppliers, and we’re confident
they’ll rise to the challenge of our 2024 deadline.”
The Artemis I team includes five prime contractors
and hundreds of suppliers from all 50 states, all of which are
committed to the safe and successful launch of the most powerful
rocket ever built and the only capsule capable of transporting and
sustaining a crew in deep space, as well as successful mission
execution and safe return of the lunar orbit mission.
Representatives from this team of suppliers will meet in
Washington, D.C. this week to share the latest program progress
with legislators and highlight the work that is done in their
respective states.
The five major industry players that are building
and preparing to launch the SLS and Orion spacecraft for NASA’s
crewed exploration missions include:
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE:AJRD), which provides the reliable,
flight-proven RS-25 and RL10 engines for the core and upper stage
that carry SLS and Orion into orbit and on to deep space. It also
provides the jettison motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System and 21
thrusters on the Orion crew and service modules.
- Boeing (NYSE: BA), which designed, developed, built and is now
testing the rocket’s massive core stage and avionics, having
completed the upper stage last year.
- Jacobs (NYSE: J), which has modernized and upgraded ground
systems and launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center, and is
preparing to integrate and process the SLS and Orion flight
hardware for launch.
- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), which has designed and is building
the Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts out to the Moon and
beyond.
- Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), which provides the rocket
boosters that supply more than 75% of initial required thrust
during the first two minutes of flight, as well as the attitude
control motor and abort motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System.
Recent SLS milestones include production completion
of the Artemis I core stage flight hardware for first flight, now
at Stennis Space Center for its final major test, called Green Run;
delivery of booster aft exit cones to Kennedy Space Center (KSC)
and completion of booster design certification review and first
five-segment booster flight set; completion of the RS-25 engine
hot-fire series for the first four SLS flights and attaching the
RS-25s to the first core stage for testing. In addition, NASA is
completing avionics systems at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
that will control launch and guidance systems for the rocket.
The Artemis I Orion spacecraft is complete and was
shipped to NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, in late
November for environmental testing to ensure that it can withstand
the harsh environment of space on its journey around the Moon and
back. In addition, Orion’s full launch abort system was
successfully tested this past July during a flight test called
Ascent Abort-2 in Florida.
At KSC, the EGS team recently completed
verification and validation of the modified mobile launcher and
Launch Pad 39B systems. The team also received the massive SLS Core
Stage Pathfinder at KSC, and conducted a month-long series of
exercises in the Vehicle Assembly Building, during which they
practiced handling and lifting of the full-scale mockup hardware.
In the KSC Launch Control Center, the team is using the upgraded
launch control system to complete SLS ground systems checkout and
launch team training in the new control room environment.
Upcoming 2020 milestones for launch readiness will
see these following programs integrated at KSC:
- The SLS rocket booster segments will be delivered to KSC and,
along with the booster forward and aft assemblies, will be
integrated in the Vehicle Assembly Building.
- The core stage and integrated RS-25 engines will complete Green
Run testing at Stennis, and refurbishment, before being shipped to
KSC for mating with the boosters.
- The Orion Artemis I crew and service module will return from
Plum Brook Station for final testing and integration prior to
launch.
- In addition to receiving SLS and Orion hardware for processing
and stacking, the EGS team will conduct the Underway Recovery
Test-8 in the Pacific Ocean in March, to validate the recovery
procedures and operational timelines during a full mission
rehearsal of Orion capsule recovery after splashdown.
Artemis I will be the first integrated flight test
of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. The mission will send Orion
into a lunar distant retrograde orbit – a wide orbit around the
Moon that is farther from Earth than any human-rated spacecraft has
ever traveled. The uncrewed mission will last more than 20 days and
will validate the design and safety of Orion and SLS for human
exploration missions to follow. To learn more about Artemis I,
visit www.exploredeepspace.com.
- Aerojet Rocketdyne:
https://www.rocket.com/space/launch-vehicle-propulsion/space-launch-system
- Boeing: http://www.boeing.com/space/space-launch-system/
- Lockheed Martin: www.lockheedmartin.com/orion
- Northrop Grumman:
https://www.northropgrumman.com/capabilities/slssolidrocketboosters/Pages/default.aspx
- Jacobs: https://www.jacobs.com/solutions/discovery
To explore the network of companies in 50 states
and Puerto Rico that are supporting deep space missions, visit the
SLS and Orion supplier map at:
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/ESDSuppliersMap/
Contacts:
Aerojet Rocketdyne:Mary
Engolamary.engola@rocket.com571-289-1371 |
Lockheed Martin:Gary Napiergary.p.napier@lmco.com720-224-7955 |
Boeing:Patricia
Soloveichikpatricia.a.soloveichik@boeing.com 256-476-6046 |
Northrop Grumman:Kay
Andersonkay.anderson@ngc.com435-230-2787 |
Jacobs:Tracy
Yatestracy.e.yates@nasa.gov321-861-7957 |
|
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024