NASA's Project Artemis Passes Simulation Tests with Flying Colors

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According to NASA, we’re one step closer to putting another man – and the first woman – on the moon.

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Project Artemis, as NASA pushes hard to honor its commitment to making the next lunar landing a reality by 2024. 

The agency recently announced that it had completed some key simulation testing at its Glenn research facility in Ohio, including thermal vacuum and electromagnetic interference performance checks of the Orion spacecraft. 

According to Cleveland.com, the 48,000-pound ship “endured vibrations, electromagnetic interference, heat up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and chills down to minus 250 degrees” in the world’s largest thermal vacuum chamber, and the tests went off without a hitch.

The Orion capsule was built by Lockheed Martin and it will see its next level of testing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The craft is being flown via NASA’s Super Guppy, a custom cargo carrier with an odd shape that accommodates super large items such as this.

Crewless launches to the moon may be tested as soon as next year and NASA hopes that the end goal for Project Artemis will not only lead to innovative developments and an American ‘presence’ but also encourage STEM learning.