NASA is finally ready to launch the huge SLS rocket for the first time

There is a person by the name ofLeah Crane.

Finally, it is time. After more than a decade of development, years of delays and billions of dollars of budget overruns, the SLS rocket is ready to launch. The first major test of NASA's plan to return people to the surface of the moon in 25 years will take place on August 29th.

The rocket was rolled out to its launch pad in Florida on 17 August and passed a flight readiness review on 22 August. At a press conference after the review, NASA's Robert Cabana said that they were going for launch. It has been a long time since this day has come.

The SLS is the most powerful rocket ever built, producing more thrust than any other rocket that has ever been built. It is almost 100 metres taller than the Statue of Liberty.

The hydrogen kick-start process, in which the engines are cooled down with liquid hydrogen before they fire, is still being tested. The mission's engineers will test it on the day of the planned launch, because it couldn't be tested during earlier dress rehearsals. The launch will be delayed if there is a leak. Two launch windows are available on 2 and 5 September.

After the two craft separate, the rocket will fall towards Earth. After spending six days on the moon, it will return home. There will be 42 days of the mission.

One of the main goals of this flight is to test the heat shield, which will have to endure temperatures of over 3000C as it enters Earth's atmosphere. The craft won't have a crew on this time, but it will carry mannequins that are equipped with sensors to make sure it's safe for astronauts.

It's a test flight. It is not without risk, as we are stressing more than what was intended for in order to send it to the moon with a crew. When we do that, we want to make sure it works perfectly.

After Artemis I, the next flight will bring a crew of astronauts to the moon and back. The first crewed moon landing in 45 years is planned for 2025. The first woman to walk on the moon will be part of the Artemis III mission.

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