Unboxing the scientific stowaway aboard Artemis I

NASA's upcoming Artemis I mission represents a crucial step on the space agency's path to establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon. It will not only mark the first flight of the massive Space Launch System (SLS) and its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), but will also test the capability of the 25-ton Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) to operate in lunar orbit. Although there is no crew on board this flight, it will serve as a dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission - which will see humans travel beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.

As the SLS was designed to lift a fully loaded and crewed Orion capsule, the hulking rocket and ISPS are significantly underutilized for this aircraft flight. test. With so much excess payload capacity available, Artemis I is in the unique position of being able to carry a number of secondary payloads into cislunar space without making changes to the overall mission or flight path.

>

NASA has selected ten CubeSats to hitchhike in space aboard Artemis I, which will test new technologies and conduct research in deep space. These secondary payloads are officially considered "high risk, high reward", with their success far from guaranteed. But if they complete their individual missions, they could well help shape the future of lunar exploration.

With Artemis I potentially days away from liftoff, let's take a look at some of these secondary payloads and how they will be deployed without jeopardizing the primary mission of getting Orion to the Moon.

Fly economy class

Ultimately, the goal of Artemis I is to demonstrate that the Orion capsule can enter lunar orbit, navigate and maneuver near the Moon, and then return safely to Earth. If this test fails, it will undoubtedly delay future Artemis missions, and may even jeopardize human landing plans. For NASA's long-term goals, it is absolutely essential that this mission be a success.

The CubeSats that accompany the ride are by no means a priority for NASA or Mission Control. While everyone would love to see them succeed, no special treatment or consideration will be given to these trades. If a decision is to be made that will save the Orion at the expense of secondary payloads, there is no doubt about the direction to take.

To avoid any possible interaction with the main mission, the CubeSats will not be deployed until nearly two hours after Orion separates from the ICPS. Once the capsule has moved away from a safe distance, the small satellites will be sequentially released from the angled distributors mounted inside the stage adapter.