NASA’s Artemis 1 mission may not have had real astronauts on board the Orion capsule, but there was an inanimate crew that went on the lunar trip.
We are soon going to learn the identities of the four astronauts who will strap into the Orion spacecraft and travel farther into space than any crew before.
Relativity Space is poised to make history on Wednesday with the launch of Terran-1—a rocket primarily constructed from 3D-printed parts. Japan is also set for an inaugural launch, with the delayed H3 rocket now set for a do-over launch.
NASA’s new lunar program is in full swing, thanks to the successful launch and return of the Artemis 1 mission in late 2022. Physics researchers recently determined that the roar of the Space Launch System megarocket was louder than anticipated—but not so loud as the NASA launch that sparked an urban legend.
Preparations for the crewed Artemis 2 trip to the Moon are in full swing, with NASA rolling-out various fixes, upgrades, and new technologies to support the mission, which could happen as soon as 2024. Among the more exciting developments are a gigantic new hydrogen fuel tank and an updated escape system that harkens…