News Archive / Tagged: EM-1

• NASA chief outlines 2-phase plan for Moon exploration

  Derek RichardsonApril 10th, 2019

  During the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine outlined more of NASA’s Moon by 2024 plan.

• NASA studying option to fly Orion EM-1 on commercial rockets

  Derek RichardsonMarch 14th, 2019

  The head of NASA told senators the first SLS flight would again be delayed and the agency is “considering all options” to get the program back on track.

• Antares not the only thing grounded by recent nor’easter

  Jason RhianNovember 19th, 2018

  The planned Nov. 15 flight of the NG-10 mission to the ISS was delayed two days while NASA waited for a powerful storm to pass. The mission wasn't the only thing held back by bad weather however.

• Orion spacecraft hardware & safety procedures readied for Exploration Mission 1

  Jason RhianNovember 8th, 2018

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Europe's contribution to NASA's Orion spacecraft has arrived in Florida. But that's not the only event relating to Orion that has taken place recently.

• Orion parachutes complete series of tests in lead up to EM-1

  Jason RhianSeptember 13th, 2018

  The last in a series of eight planned tests of NASA's Orion spacecraft was completed on Wednesday, Sept. 12 - paving the way for the first combined flight of Orion and the new super heavy-lift booster.

• NASA tests solar sail for Exploration Mission 1’S NEA Scout

  Jim SharkeyJuly 5th, 2018

  On June 28, 2018 NASA conducted a successful deployment test of the solar sail for the space agency's Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout) CubeSat mission. NEA Scout is a small satellite designed to study asteroids close to the Earth and is scheduled to launch on Exploratory Mission-1 (EM-1). The test was conducted inside a clean room at the NeXolve facility in Huntsville, Alabama. 

• NASA Exploration Mission-1 managing current challenges, but launch could slip to 2020

  Bart LeahyNovember 9th, 2017

  On November 8, 2017, NASA released an update following a schedule review of Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1), the first uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft to the Moon.

• Major core stage hardware completed for first SLS flight

  Heather SmithOctober 4th, 2017

  NASA has completed major work for all five parts of the core stage for the first flight of the massive Space Launch System (SLS). Additionally, manufacturing has been completed for all four core stage test articles with evaluation underway on the engine section structural test article at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

• Insider Exclusive: The people and parts of NASA’s EM-1 mission

  Jason RhianOctober 1st, 2017

  PROMONTORY, Utah — NASA is eyeing a 2019 launch for its new super-heavy-lift Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. While some of the systems are so-called legacy hardware, they have never been flown in this configuration without a side-mounted shuttle and with a mandate to take crews far beyond low-Earth orbit. For each mission, NASA is not only relying on the parts to guarantee its astronauts travel safely to these distant destinations but also people who work every day to ensure these components are as reliable as possible.

• NASA’s EM-1 Orion powers up for the first time

  Bart LeahyAugust 24th, 2017

  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA and Lockheed Martin powered up the computer systems of the Orion spacecraft for the first time last week at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Facility at the Kennedy Space Center. The uncrewed spacecraft will fly atop the Space Launch System (SLS) on Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) in 2019.

• Orion update: Lighting the fire of awareness – Part 1

  Jason RhianAugust 21st, 2017

  Officials with NASA sat down with SpaceFlight Insider to discuss the current status of the Orion program, which evolved into discussions on how the space agency is working to spread the word about the new crew-rated capsule as well as the ties that the program has with past efforts—and more.

• SLS ‘racing stripes’ replaced with photogrammetry targets

  Heather SmithAugust 8th, 2017

  Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital ATK has cast ten solid rocket booster (SRB) segments for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). Four of those segments have been completed at the company's facilities in Promontory, Utah, and painted with photogrammetric markings. Two five-segment boosters will be used to help power the super-heavy-lift vehicle into orbit as early as 2019 – but what happened to the rocket's "racing stripes"?

• 3 CubeSats win rides on 1st flight of NASA’s SLS

  Jim SharkeyJune 9th, 2017

  On Thursday, June 8, NASA announced the three winning teams of the semi-final round of the space agency's Cube Quest Challenge. In addition to winning $20,000 each in prize money, the three teams have also secured spots to launch their spacecraft on Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) – the first flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) with the Orion spacecraft.

• NASA OIG: SLS unlikely to launch in 2018

  Jason RhianApril 15th, 2017

  NASA.s Office of Inspector General has issued an audit detailing how the agency's Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) will likely not launch in 2018. This might be a moot point as NASA is considering flying EM-1 with a crew, which would push the launch to 2019 anyway. These are some of the issues facing the first flight of the agency's new rocket.

• Orion update: progress and setbacks in February 2017

  Mackenzie KaneMarch 13th, 2017

  NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Hensel Phelps Construction Co. successfully completed the modifications to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in early February, making room for the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.