Science News: NASA Sets Coverage for ULA, Astrobotic Artemis Robotic Moon Launch

As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Astrobotic are targeting 2:18 a.m. EST Monday, Jan. 8, for the first commercial robotic launch to the Moon’s surface. Carrying NASA science, liftoff of ULA’s Vulcan rocket and Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander will happen from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Live launch coverage will air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Thursday, Jan. 4. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Follow events online at: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.

Peregrine will land on the Moon on Friday, Feb. 23. The NASA payloads aboard the lander aim to help the agency develop capabilities needed to explore the Moon under Artemis and in advance of human missions on the lunar surface.

Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern):

Thursday, Jan. 4

11 a.m. – Science media briefing via WebEx with the following participants:

• Paul Niles, CLPS project scientist, NASA Headquarters
• Chris Culbert, CLPS program manager, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
• Nic Stoffle, science and operations lead for Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer, NASA Johnson
• Anthony Colaprete, principal investigator, Near-Infrared Volatile Spectrometer System, NASA’s Ames Research Center
• Richard Elphic, principal investigator, Neutron Spectrometer System, NASA’s Ames Research Center
• Barbara Cohen, principal investigator, Peregrine Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometer, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
• Daniel Cremons, deputy principal investigator for Laser Retroreflector, NASA Goddard
• Niki Werkheiser, director, Technology Maturation, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

Friday, Jan. 5

3 p.m. – Lunar delivery readiness media teleconference with the following participants:

• Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Ryan Watkins, program scientist, Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office, NASA Headquarters
• John Thornton, CEO, Astrobotic
• Gary Wentz, vice president, Government and Commercial Programs, ULA
• Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron

Monday, Jan. 8

1:30 a.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins

2:18 a.m. – Launch

Attend launch virtually

Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. As a virtual guest, you have access to curated resources, schedule changes, and mission-specific information delivered straight to your inbox. Following each activity, virtual guests will receive a commemorative stamp for their virtual guest passport.

Watch, engage on social media

Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis.

In May 2019, NASA awarded a task order for the scientific payload delivery to Astrobotic, which is on track to be one of the first of at least eight CLPS deliveries already planned. Through Artemis, NASA is working with multiple CLPS vendors to send a regular cadence of deliveries to the Moon to perform science investigations, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon before NASA sends the first astronauts to land near the lunar South Pole.

You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon

Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, NASAArtemis

Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis

More News from Raritan

• RVCC Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies to Hold Virtual Summer Book Series The series is free of charge and open to the public.
• Mark Casique Named SCVTHS Student of the Month for May 2024 Mark’s Computer Science instructor, Ms. Sharon Phillips, recommended him for the honor.