Orion: NASA's next gen Moon-ship attached to SLS megarocket at Kennedy Space Centre

The next-generation spacecraft of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been loaded onto a rocket which is gearing up to take the spaceship to the Moon later this year or early in 2022. Taking a step forward in the moon game, at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Orion spaceship was attached to the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Wednesday. 

The Orion will travel around the Moon on its forthcoming mission, without any astronauts boarded on the ship. However, as part of a US effort to send humans to the surface of the moon within this decade, Orion will eventually carry people in its later missions.  

This mission is known as Artemis which has been named after Apollo's sister. NASA believes that this mission might aid in the establishment of a prolonged human presence on Earth's sole natural satellite. At the Kennedy Space Center’s cubical Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), a crane had elevated Orion to place it onto the top of the SLS mega-rocket. The spacecraft was then firmly secured to its launcher by teams. 

The Orion moon-ship was moved on Monday to the VAB from another building where it had been kept before. Further, the spaceship is waiting for its final major piece of equipment to be installed in the launch system before the intended test flight. Engineers will perform tests on the completed spacecraft in the following weeks, along with a rehearsal in which the SLS rocket is filled with liquid fuel, during the launching countdown. 

NASA plans to launch humans to the lunar surface

The initial operation of the Orion launch by the SLS will be a part of the uncrewed Artemis-1 mission. This three-week trip mission will basically put the SLS and Orion through a test, providing answers on whether astronauts will be allowed to board Artemis-2. This Artemis 2, is a crewed mission to the moon, which is set to launch in 2023. 

After the Apollo 17 mission in the year 1972, humans will touch down the lunar surface during Artemis-3. Elon Musk's Starship has been chosen by Nasa to transport people from lunar orbit to the earth. In lunar orbit, the Orion spaceship will connect with the Starship. After that, astronauts will glide through a doorway from Orion to Starship to start making preparations for their descent to the lunar surface.  

This month, Kennedy Space Center has also received the metal framework for the Orion spacecraft that would be utilised for that trip. This mission will transport the first lady and the next man to walk on the lunar surface. The first person of colour will also join in the journey to the Moon as part of the Artemis mission. The landing mission is presently targeted for 2024, but many experts believe that date will be pushed back. 

(Image: Twitter/ @NASAKennedy)