Know the origin of the name of NASA's Artemis mission 0:47
(CNN) --
The historic Artemis I mission — an uncrewed test trip around the Moon using the world's most powerful operational rocket — could finally take flight this week.
NASA is preparing for another launch attempt after weeks of battling various technical problems and setbacks, including the rocket withstanding a Category 1 hurricane. The extravaganza is scheduled to begin early in the morning, with liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida that will occur any time within a two-hour window that opens at 1:04 a.m. Miami time on Wednesday.
The public will be able to follow the mission via live broadcast from NASA or, for those in the vicinity of the launch site, by watching the sky from various public beaches and observation points.
The journey will begin just days after Hurricane Nicole tore through Florida, bringing winds of up to 100 mph to the launch pad area.
When it became clear that the cyclone was about to become a threat, there was not enough time to bring the rocket back indoors, the space agency said.
The rocket suffered only minor damage, according to NASA, including from a 10-foot strip of caulking that fell off the Orion spacecraft.
Technicians have also been checking an electrical connection on a 10-meter-tall structure that connects to the rocket's engine area while it is on the launch pad.
"We're going to do our best and we're going to try it on Wednesday," said Artemis I mission manager Mike Sarafin. not go out), it may not be our day.
(The No-Go criteria are a predetermined set of items that must be checked in order for NASA to give the green light for launch.)
advertising
What is Artemis' goal?
Artemis I, uncrewed, will launch on a mission that will go beyond the Moon and return to Earth.
After launch, the spacecraft will reach a far retrograde orbit around the Moon, traveling 2.1 million kilometers over the course of about 25 1/2 days.
Artemis I will crash into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on December 11.
Orion's return will be faster and hotter than any spacecraft on its way back to Earth.
The Orion spacecraft will travel farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown, reaching 40,000 miles beyond the far side of the Moon, according to NASA.
In 3 years astronauts will return to the Moon.
NASA selects 13 viable landing sites for the Artemis III mission
There are no humans on board, but Orion will carry 54.4 kilograms of memorabilia, including toys, Apollo 11 memorabilia and three mannequins.
In Orion's commander's seat will be Commander Moonikin Campos, a suit-up dummy who can collect data about what future human crews might experience on a trip to the Moon.
The dummy will wear the new Orion Crew Survival System suit, designed for astronauts to wear during launch and reentry.
The suit has two radiation sensors.
This mission will launch NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and bring the first woman and first person of color to the lunar surface by 2025. It will also, in time, make way for to human exploration of Mars.
Artemis I will also perform a series of science experiments, some of which were set up when the rocket and spacecraft arrived at the launch pad.
Bob Cabana, associate administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington, reflected on the Apollo 13 launch when he was a young midshipman at the US Naval Academy.
"I never dreamed that I would end up as an astronaut, let alone director of the Kennedy Space Center or in the position that I have now," Cabana said.
"I'm a product of the Apollo generation and look what it did for us. And I can't wait to see what comes out of the Artemis generation because I think it's going to inspire even more than Apollo did. It's been gratifying to see all that work during today's review and knowing that we're prepared to do it.
ArtemisMoonNASA