Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, is introduced during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX, Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, and Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, responds to a question during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX, Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, and Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office, listens to a question during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office, is introduced during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX, listens to a question during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX, is introduced during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

From left, Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, participate in a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins moderated the event. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, listens to a question during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, is introduced during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins moderates a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Participants included Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins moderates a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Participants included Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office; Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX, responds to a question during a CRS-21 prelaunch news conference at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 4, 2020. Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office, Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office; and Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing, also participated in the event, which was moderated by NASA Communications’ Jasmine Hopkins. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the upgraded version of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:39 a.m. EST. CRS-21 will deliver supplies, equipment, and critical materials needed to support a variety of science and research investigations on the International Space Station.

Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45, is introduced during an Artemis I mission status press briefing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 27, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B no earlier than Aug. 29, 2022, at 8:33 a.m. EDT.

Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Officer Melody Lovin participates in an Artemis I student media briefing inside the John Holliman Auditorium of the News Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 19, 2023. As part of NASA’s NextGen STEM project, students from Florida’s St. Cloud High School and Storm Grove Middle School in Vero Beach participated in person during the briefing, while middle and high school students across the country had the opportunity to ask questions of the panel via phone to discuss the Artemis I mission and the agency’s future of human space exploration.

Melody Lovin, Space Launch Delta 45 weather officer, participates in a prelaunch media briefing following a mission management team meeting for Artemis I on Sept. 1, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

From left, Megan Cruz, NASA Communications; Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Kennedy Space Center; Melissa Jones, recovery director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy; Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters; and Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45, participate in an Artemis I mission status press briefing at Kennedy on Aug. 27, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B no earlier than Aug. 29, 2022, at 8:33 a.m. EDT.

From left, Jeremy Parsons, Exploration Ground Systems, deputy program manager, NASA Kennedy; and Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45, participate in a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis I countdown on Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

Melody C. Lovin, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, speaks to members of the media during a prelaunch news conference with NASA, SpaceX and the 45th Weather Squadron leaders Thursday, Feb. 28, prior to the Saturday, March 2 launch of the SpaceX Demo-1 Commercial Crew Program (CCP) mission to the International Space Station. The inaugural flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, known as Demo-1, is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday at 2:49 EST. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the uncrewed spacecraft on a mission designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the International Space Station.

A prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis countdown is held on Aug. 28, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Megan Cruz, NASA Communications; Jeff Spaulding, Artemis I senior NASA test director; Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45. Artemis I is scheduled to launch Aug. 29, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

As part of NASA’s NextGen STEM project, Public Affairs Writers Danielle Sempsrott (left) and Jason Costa address students from Florida’s St. Cloud High School and Storm Grove Middle School in Vero Beach during an Artemis I student media briefing inside the John Holliman Auditorium of the News Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 19, 2023. Participants in the briefing included Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Kelvin Manning, Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Manager of the Space Launch System Resident Management Office Elkin Norena, and Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Officer Melody Lovin. Along with the students participating in person, middle and high school students across the country had the opportunity to ask questions of the panel via phone to discuss the Artemis I mission and the agency’s future of human space exploration.

Students from Florida’s St. Cloud High School and Storm Grove Middle School in Vero Beach pose in front of the countdown clock at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 19, 2023. As part of NASA’s NextGen STEM project, students were invited to tour the facilities at the spaceport before participating in a televised briefing inside the John Holliman Auditorium of the News Center, featuring Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Kelvin Manning; Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson; Manager of the Space Launch System Resident Management Office Elkin Norena; and Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Officer Melody Lovin. Along with the students participating in person, middle and high school students across the country had the opportunity to ask questions of the panel via phone to discuss the Artemis I mission and the agency’s future of human space exploration.

From left, NASA Communications’ Leah Martin, Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Kelvin Manning, Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Space Launch System Resident Management Office Manager Elkin Norena, and Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Officer Melody Lovin participate in an Artemis I student media briefing inside the John Holliman Auditorium of the News Center at the Florida spaceport on Jan. 19, 2023. As part of NASA’s NextGen STEM project, students from Florida’s St. Cloud High School and Storm Grove Middle School in Vero Beach participated in person during the briefing, while middle and high school students across the country had the opportunity to ask questions of the panel via phone to discuss the Artemis I mission and the agency’s future of human space exploration.

Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45, participates in a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis countdown is held on Aug. 28, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis I is scheduled to launch Aug. 29, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45, participates in a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis I countdown on Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

A prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis countdown is held on Aug. 28, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Megan Cruz, NASA Communications; Jeff Spaulding, Artemis I senior NASA test director; Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45. Artemis I is scheduled to launch Aug. 29, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

A prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis countdown is held on Aug. 28, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left are Megan Cruz, NASA Communications; Jeff Spaulding, Artemis I senior NASA test director; Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45. Artemis I is scheduled to launch Aug. 29, at 8:33 a.m. EDT from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

From left, NASA Communications’ Leah Martin, Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Kelvin Manning, Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Space Launch System Resident Management Office Manager Elkin Norena, and Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Officer Melody Lovin participate in an Artemis I student media briefing inside the John Holliman Auditorium of the News Center on Jan. 19, 2023, at the Florida spaceport. As part of NASA’s NextGen STEM project, students from Florida’s St. Cloud High School and Storm Grove Middle School in Vero Beach, participated in person during the briefing, while middle and high school students across the country had the opportunity to ask questions of the panel via phone to discuss the Artemis I mission and the agency’s future of human space exploration.

NASA holds a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis I countdown on Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants are, from left, Megan Cruz, moderator, NASA Communications; Jeremy Parsons, Exploration Ground Systems, deputy program manager, NASA Kennedy; and Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site TV auditorium, NASA, SpaceX and the 45th Weather Squadron leaders speak to members of the media during a prelaunch news conference Thursday, Feb. 28, prior to the Saturday, March 2 launch of the SpaceX Demo-1 Commercial Crew Program (CCP) mission to the International Space Station. From left are: Stephanie Martin of NASA Communications, Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program; Hans Koenigsmann, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX; Joel Montalbano, deputy manager, International Space Station Program; Pat Forrester, chief, Astronaut Office, Johnson Space Center; and Melody C. Lovin, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron. The inaugural flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, known as Demo-1, is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday at 2:49 EST. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the uncrewed spacecraft on a mission designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the International Space Station.

In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site TV auditorium, NASA, SpaceX and the 45th Weather Squadron leaders speak to members of the media during a prelaunch news conference Thursday, Feb. 28, prior to the Saturday, March 2 launch of the SpaceX Demo-1 Commercial Crew Program (CCP) mission to the International Space Station. From left are: Stephanie Martin of NASA Communications, Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program; Hans Koenigsmann, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX; Joel Montalbano, deputy manager, International Space Station Program; Pat Forrester, chief, Astronaut Office, Johnson Space Center; and Melody C. Lovin, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron. The inaugural flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon, known as Demo-1, is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A Saturday at 2:49 EST. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the uncrewed spacecraft on a mission designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the International Space Station.

A prelaunch media briefing is held following a mission management team meeting for Artemis I on Sept. 1, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants are, from left, John Honeycutt, Space Launch System (SLS) program manager; John Blevins, SLS chief engineer; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director; and Melody Lovin, Space Launch Delta 45 weather officer. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

NASA holds a prelaunch media briefing on the status of the Artemis I countdown on Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants are, from left, Megan Cruz, moderator, NASA Communications; Jeremy Parsons, Exploration Ground Systems, deputy program manager, NASA Kennedy; and Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.

A prelaunch media briefing is held following a mission management team meeting for Artemis I on Sept. 1, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants are, from left, Rachel Kraft, NASA Communications; Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager; John Honeycutt, Space Launch System (SLS) program manager; John Blevins, SLS chief engineer; Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director; and Melody Lovin, Space Launch Delta 45 weather officer. Artemis I is scheduled to launch at 2:17 p.m. EDT on Sept. 3, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B. Launch was waved off on Aug. 29 due to an issue during tanking. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown.