NASA’s massive Artemis 1 rocket is counting down to its planned launch to the moon on August 29, and when it does, you’ll be able to watch the historic mission live online for free.
The space agency will host a series of Artemis 1 webcasts this week and next before the uncrewed launch of NASA’s Space Launch System’s first megarocket from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The briefings begin on Monday, August 22 and will run until launch day and include special guests including actors Chris Evans, Jack Black and Keke Palmer. You can now see live views of the Artemis 1 moon rocket atop its platform in Live Faith
The last time such a powerful rocket thundered from a KSC pad was in 1973, when a Saturn V moon rocket carried Skylab into orbit, marking the end of the Apollo era, so that this month’s event should be quite a spectacle.
Related: NASA’s Artemis 1 Moon Mission: Live Updates
According to NASA (opens in a new tab), the space agency will provide full coverage of Artemis I’s pre-launch, launch and post-launch activities when it’s time to light the candle. This important unmanned general test around the moon will clear the way for a manned flight test with Artemis 2 in 2024 and an actual lunar landing in 2025 as part of Artemis 3.
Those lucky enough to join the Artemis 1 show in Florida will be treated to the shock and awe of 8.8 million pounds of gravity-defying thrust propelling the sleek SLS rocket and capsule Space Orion to the sky. For the rest of us, NASA has just released its schedule for the free live stream to watch the mission from the safety and comfort of our own homes.
Live event coverage will be broadcast on Space.com courtesy of NASA Television, NASA’s mobile app (opens in a new tab) and the agency’s official website (opens in a new tab), with pre-launch activities on Monday, August 22. -tappers, the launch countdown (opens in a new tab) starts Saturday, August 27th at 10:23am ET.
Sure, it might not offer the same epic experience that the Earth burst will, but it’s the next best thing, and you won’t have to worry about the heat, parking hassles, or huge crowds.
The stages of the Artemis 1 mission to the Moon. (Image credit: NASA)
On launch day, a live broadcast of the festivities includes celebrity appearances by Jack Black, Chris Evans and Keke Palmer, as well as a patriotic performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” courtesy of Josh Groban and Herbie Hancock. Then we will hear “America the Beautiful” performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Here’s a recap of the launch activities leading up to liftoff.
Monday, August 22: Artemis 1 flight preparation review
One week before launch, on Monday, August 22, NASA’s Artemis 1 mission managers will meet for a one-day flight readiness review to decide that the Artemis 1 SLS rocket is ready for launch .
At 19:00 EDT (2300 GMT), NASA will hold a press conference to report the results of this meeting and whether the Artemis 1 moon rocket is still on track for its August 29 liftoff.
Here’s who will be appearing at this briefing.
- Janet Petro, director of the Kennedy Space Center
- Jim Free, Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis Mission Manager at NASA Headquarters
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis Launch Director, Earth System Exploration Program, Kennedy
- Howard Hu, Orion Program Manager, NASA Johnson Space Center
- John Honeycutt, Space Launch System Program Manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
Friday, August 26: NASA Briefing on Space Industry Exploration
On Friday, August 26, NASA will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) to highlight the commercial space industry’s role in the Artemis 1 mission.
The briefing will feature experts from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Boeing (which built the space launch system), Jacobs aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Airbus.
- Jim Free, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Jeff Zotti, RS-25 Program Manager, Aerojet Rocketdyne
- Jennifer Boland-Masterson, Director of Operations, Michoud Assembly Facility, Boeing
- Randy Lycans, Vice President/General Manager, NASA Enterprise Solutions, Jacobs
- Kelly DeFazio, Orion Production Manager, Lockheed Martin
- Doug Hurley, Senior Director of Business Development, Northrop Grumman
- Ralf Zimmermann, Head of the Moon and Orion European Service Module programs, Airbus
Saturday, August 27: NASA’s Artemis 1 countdown begins
The Artemis 1 launch countdown will begin at 10:23 am EDT (1423 GMT) on Saturday, August 27. Flight controllers will be called to their stations that day and begin the two-day countdown to the final launch target.
Saturday, August 27: NASA Artemis 1 pre-launch briefing
On Saturday, August 27, NASA will hold two briefings to discuss the Artemis 1 mission. The first will be at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), when mission directors will meet to review the launch plan for ‘Artemis 1 as well as its mission objectives.
The briefing will include an overview of the mission, a look at the weather forecast and NASA’s backup plans should the Aug. 29 launch date be delayed. Mission backup days are currently scheduled for September 2nd and September 5th.
Related: NASA’s Artemis 1 Moon Mission Explained in Photos
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis Mission Manager at NASA Headquarters
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis Launch Director, Earth System Exploration Program, Kennedy
- Judd Freiling, Climb and Entry Flight Director, Johnson
- Rick LaBrode, Chief Flight Officer, Johnson
- Melissa Jones, Director of Recovery, Exploration Earth Systems Program, Kennedy
- Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45
- Jacob Bleacher, Chief Exploration Scientist, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Saturday, August 27: NASA Artemis Moon to Mars Briefing
Following the pre-launch briefing, NASA will hold a press conference on Saturday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT), led by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson to discuss plans for the agency to explore the Moon, Mars and beyond.
NASA has billed the talk as a “conference on the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration plans” and will feature presentations from Nelson and representatives from the agency’s exploration, space technology and spaceflight branches to describe plans to reach Mars from the Moon under Artemis. program
- Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator
- Bhavya Lal, NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy and Strategy
- Jim Free, NASA Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
- Kathy Lueders, NASA Associate Administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate
- Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate
- Prasun Desai, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate
- Randy Bresnik, NASA astronaut
Sunday, August 28: NASA Artemis 1 countdown update
On Sunday, August 28, NASA will hold a brief briefing at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT) to provide an update on the progress of the Artemis 1 launch.
The briefing will review the status of the mission countdown with Jeff Spaulding, senior test manager for NASA’s Artemis 1, as well as Melody Lovin, weather officer with Space Launch Delta 45 at the Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, near KSC.
- Jeff Spaulding, NASA Artemis I Senior Test Manager
- Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45
Monday, August 29: 12:00 PM EDT – Artemis 1 Launch Day – Fuel Coverage
Monday, August 29th is the first launch attempt of NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission and it’s going to be a LONG day.
NASA’s webcast activities begin at 12:00 p.m. EDT (0400 GMT), with a live webcast of the Space Launch System’s fueling, which NASA calls tanking, operations. The center stage of the SLS rocket can hold about 730,000 gallons of super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, so charging that propellant will take hours.
Monday, August 29: 6:30 am ET – Full coverage of the Artemis 1 launch
The full webcast of NASA launch coverage for Artemis 1 will begin on August 29 at 6:30 am EDT (1030 GMT). This part of the agency’s webcast will be in English.
“Launch coverage will continue through translunar injection and spacecraft separation, putting Orion on its way to the Moon,” NASA wrote in a description.
Monday, August 29: 7:30 a.m. ET- Artemis 1 Spanish broadcast
At 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT), NASA’s Spanish-language webcast will begin chronicling the Artemis 1 mission.
The webcast will run until launch and the first 15 minutes of the mission after liftoff. After launch, you can get Spanish-language updates about Artemis 1 through NASA’s Spanish-language social media channels.
Saturday, August 29: 8:33 am EDT – Artemis 1 Liftoff
This is the moment of truth for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission: the first launch window of the Space Launch System rocket.
NASA actually has a two-hour window to try to launch the SLS booster, so liftoff could happen anytime between 8:33 a.m. EDT and 10:33 a.m. EDT (12:33-14 :33 GMT), if the technical and meteorological systems allow it.
Saturday, August 29: 12 pm ET – Artemis 1 Post-Launch Press Conference
After the launch, NASA will hold a post-launch press conference scheduled no earlier than 1 hour after the launch broadcast ends. NASA is currently planning a start time of 12:00 EDT (16:00 GMT) for this briefing, but that could change as the day progresses.
Below are the NASA officials scheduled to speak at the briefing.
- Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis Mission Manager at NASA Headquarters
- Mike Bolger, Exploration Earth Systems Program Manager, Kennedy
- Howard Hu, Orion Program Director, Johnson
- John Honeycutt, Space Launch System Program Manager, Marshall
Saturday, August 29: 4 pm EDT – Orion Trajectory Burn
If all goes well with the launch, NASA will host a webcast at 4 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT) to highlight the first trajectory maneuver to send the Artemis 1 Orion beyond Earth orbit and toward the Moon.
The weather of this…