2022 could be a big year for space exploration. If all goes according to plan, NASA’s ambitious Artemis program could be on its way to making trips to the Moon a regular occurrence. Artemis I is where it all begins — a rocket launch that would act as a precursor to crewed missions. The preliminary launch will test the technology being used for the mission, as well as making sure that conditions on board the craft taking humans to the Moon will be safe for them.
Now, NASA has announced the date it hopes to complete a critical test of Artemis I. As Space.com reports, the agency is hoping that a “wet dress rehearsal” originally scheduled for April can take place in June — followed by an important test of the fueling system.
According to NASA, Artemis I will be rolled out to the launch pad beginning on June 6. The test itself will commence on or around June 19.
A blog post on NASA’s website explains that the testing “calls for NASA to load propellant into the rocket’s tanks, conduct a full launch countdown, demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock, and drain the tanks to practice the timelines and procedures that will be used for launch.”
Once that’s complete, Artemis I will be ready for launch — making for a new era in space exploration.
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