Artemis launch – live: Nasa won’t commit to new launch date lift-off was scrubbed

The launch Nasa’s Artemis 1 mission scheduled for Monday morning has been scrubbed due to issues with one of the Moon rocket’s engines.

Lift off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida was set for 08.33 local time (13.33 BST) on Monday, 29 August. The next launch window for Artemis I opens 2 September, with a second back up window opening 5 September.

As of Monday afternoon, Nasa officials said the space agency needs more time to assess the problems encountered during Monday’s launch before they can decide on a new launch date, but for now they are keeping the rocket on the pad and in a configuration that could allow a launch on Friday.

Weather conditions were favourable for launch Monday, despite some concerning lightning strikes over the weekend, and weather was not a direct cause for the scrub.

Artemis 1 is the first flight for Nasa’s fiant Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule, serving as a crucial test for making sure all the related systems function properly in space ahead of the first humans climbing aboard Artemis 2 in 2023.

You can follow all the latest news and updates in our live blog below, and watch a live stream of the Artemis 1 rocket launch from Nasa TV at the top of this page.

Key points

• Nasa scrubs Artemis 1 launch after engine issues

• Nasa announces plans to send humans beyond Mars ahead of Moon mission launch

• Everything you need to know about Nasa’s next big space launch

Launch issues not engine specific

18:22 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa’s Artemi Mission Manager Mike Sarafin said Monday afternoon it was not an engine problem that led to the scrubbing of the Aetemis I launch on Monday morning, but rather a problem with the engine bleed system in the rocket core stage. The bleed system trickles cyrogenic fuel into the engines to chill them down so the engines are not “shocked” when fuel flows into them at full pressure at launch.

At the same time, Mr Sarafin said that while he could not say for sure that Artemis I could be ready for launch by the next launch window on Friday, “Friday is definitely in play.”

Artemis launched weather issues

18:16 , Jon Kelvey

According to Nasa officials speaking at a Monday afternoon press conference, the Artemis I launch faced weather challenges that would have kept the rocket from launching on time even had engine troubles not led the space agency to scrub the launch.

“We would have been no go at the beginning of the window our to precipitation, and later in the window we would have been no go due to lightning,” Nasa’s Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin said Monday.

Nasa not ready to state options

18:13 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa is still working on the options for following up Monday’s scrubbed launch, according to Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin

“It’s too early to say what the options are,” he said at a Monday afternoon press conference, but added “we will come back and talk about where we stand tomorrow evening.”

Nasa administrator says scrubs are part of spaceflight

18:05 , Jon Kelvey

Speaking at a press conference, Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson says taht scrubs are just part of space flight.

“On the spaceflight hat I participated in …. 36 and a half years ago, we scrubbed four times on the pad,” Mr Nelson said. “This is a brand new rocket, it’s not going to fly until it’s ready.”

Nasa to hold press conference on scrubbed launch at 1pm EDT

17:53 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa officials will brief the press at 1 p.m. on what happened to cause the space agency to scrub the launch of the Artemis I mission that was originally scheduled for Monday morning.

Live coverage of the press conference will continue on this blog. You can watch the press conference live on Nasa’s website.

Artemis 1 launch

16:32 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Why was the launch scrubbed and what happens next? Jon Kelvey answers both these questions in his latest report on the Artemis mission.

Why Nasa scrubbed Monday’s Moon rocket launch and what’s next

Artemis 1 launch

14:27 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Nasa will be holding a press conference in a few hours, where we should learn more details about what went wrong today.

We will also hopefully find out whether the US space agency plans to proceed with a launch when the next window opens on Friday.

We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates from the press conference as soon as it is live.

Artemis 1 launch

14:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’ve just heard from Nasa administrator Bill Nelson, who spoke about what went wrong with the Artemis 1 launch.

“We don’t launch until it’s right,” he said. “It’s just illustrative that this is a very complicated machine, a very complicated system, and all those things have to work. You don’t want to light the candle until it’s ready to go.”

He also revealed that US Vice President Kamala Harris was at the Kennedy Space Centre today for the failed launch attempt, who Mr Nelson described as “an enthusiastic space booster”.

Artemis 1 launch scrubbed

14:10 , Anthony Cuthbertson

We’re going to have to wait until Friday at the earliest for the next launch attempt of Nasa’s Space Launch System.

“The launch of Artemis 1 is no longer happening today as teams work through an issue with an engine bleed,” the US space agency tweeted. “Teams will continue to gather data, and we will keep you posted on the timing of the next launch attempt.”

After launch scrub, Nasa turns to backup dates

13:49 , Jon Kelvey

Following a nearly hour long hold in the launch countdown, Nasa finally scrubbed the launch of the Artemis I mission schedule for Monday morning after an issue with one of the rocket’s main engines proved too difficult to solve on the launch pad.

While Nasa officials had expressed their hopes that Artemis I would launch Monday, the space agency has moved with cautious urgency throughout the testing and developing of the SLS rocket, up to and including back up launch dates for Artemis I. The next launch windows will open on 2 September and, if that window closes without a launch, 5 September.

Nasa scrubbs launch

13:36 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa has scrubbed the Artemis I launch as of 8.36am Monday morning.

Nasa updates blog on Artemis I countdown delay

13:35 , Jon Kelvey

The countdown to launch the Artemis I mission is in a delay while engineers work to fix an engine problem with the SLS rocket’s core stage. Nasa, meanwhile, has posted a very brief blog post about the situation:

“Teams are in a hold in the countdown at T-40 minutes while engineers evaluate why the bleed test to condition the engines was not successful,” the blog post reads. “Engineers are looking at options to gather as much data as possible. The Artemis I rocket and spacecraft are in a stable, safe condition.”

US Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, arrived at Kennedy Space Center by aircraft around 8.30am EDT. The two-hour Artemis launch window opens at 8.33am EDT.

Nasa updates on unplanned launch hold

13:22 , Jon Kelvey

An unplanned hold on the Artemis I countdown expected to last 10 minutes has now stretched on to about 40 minutes. The most recent updates from Nasa however, suggest the space agency is not scrubbing the launch.

Commentary on Nasa’s live coverage of the launch suggest that launch director Charlie Blackwell Thompson and her team of engineers are still discussing a problem with the SLS rocket’s engine 3. The team is waiting on some modeling data it help them develop a plan to trouble shoot the engine problem and hopefully move forward with the countdown.

SLS Countydown still on hold

13:07 , Jon Kelvey

As of 8.03am EDT Monday, the countdown for the launch of Artemis I is still on hold due to an engine bleed issue on engine three of the Space Launch System core stage.

Fueling the big SLS rocket began at 1.14am EDT Monday, according to Nasa commentary on the launch, and after those tanking operations were complete, ground crews began testing engines and found engine three was not responding as necessary for launch. This particuarly negine response was something Nasa ground teams had hoped to test during the multiple “wet dress rehearsals” Nasa conducted over the spring and summer, but were kept from completing due to a hydrogen fuel leak that took precedence.

Artemis 1 launch

12:49 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The two hour launch window for the SLS lift-off today opens in 45 minutes.

The countdown remains on hold, which means if we do get a launch today it will likely be towards the end of the window.

On the plus side, the weather at the launch site in Florida looks good, so if the issue can be resolved then there will hopefully be no further disruptions.

Artemis 1 launch

12:24 , Anthony Cuthbertson

If you’re just joining us, here’s the latest status of the Artemis 1 launch:

- The engine bleed issue continues to be the main factor delaying the launch, and teams on the ground are in the process of troubleshooting it.

- The current countdown is being held at T-minus 40 minutes, with another scheduled hold set to take place at the 10-minute mark. It’s at this point that Nasa will announce a new launch time.

- There is a two hour launch window, so there is hopefully enough time for the issues to be resolved and for lift-off to take place today.

- If the issues can’t be resolved, there are backup launch windows for 2 and 5 September, 2022.

Artemis 1 launch

12:00 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Nasa has delayed its broadcast for today’s launch, meaning the actual lift-off time will almost certainly be pushed back.

Operational commentary continues to give the latest updates on the troubleshooting currently underway, with no word yet about what time the actual launch will take place.

“Teams are working to increase pressure in the bleed on engine 3 to continue conditioning the four RS-25 engines on [the Space Launch System] for launch,” Nasa tweeted.

Artemis 1 launch

11:46 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The sun is rising over the Atlantic as the countdown for the launch of the Artemis 1 mission continues at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

You can see liquid oxygen venting from the top and bottom of the rocket, as well as hydrogen gas burning off from a flare stack on the left of the image.

Troubleshooting continues with the bleed on engine No.3, which is struggling to get to the proper temperature.

Artemis 1 launch

11:37 , Anthony Cuthbertson

There appears to be another issue with the Space Launch System, which coud result in further delays or even a postponement of the launch.

Nasa’s launch team has reported a line of frost on the core stage tank of the SLS, which is currently under evaluation.

Countdown is still set for 08.33 local time (13.33 BST) but Nasa’s Artemis launch control says that “it’s largely anticipated that that’s going to be slipping.”

Artemis 1 launch

11:21 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It seems that issues remain with the bleed flow in engine No. 3.

Nasa’s launch team are currently troubleshooting the problem, as well as an ongoing issue with the communications link between the Orion spacecraft and the ground team.

If either of these are not resolved, that would mean today’s launch would have to be postponed, with backup launch windows currently in place for 2 and 5 September.

Nasa still has a couple of hours left to get them sorted for today, so fingers crossed.

Artemis 1 launch

11:08 , Anthony Cuthbertson

It’s just past 6am in Florida, meaning there’s just two hours left until the scheduled launch of the SLS rocket system for the Artemis 1 mission.

The launch team is continuing to progress through its system setups. Currently we’re in the engine bleed phase of the countdown, with Nasa saying that the actual time for the launch remains “dynamic” as they continue to calculate the impact of the delays caused by the earlier issues with the filling up of the core stages.

Artemis 1 launch

10:44 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The issues with filling the core stages have been sorted, however it looks like there will be a delay to the scheduled 08.33 (13.33 BST) launch time.

“We’re in really great shape,” says Nasa’s launch director, adding that the lift off time will be set once they reach T-minus 10 minutes on the countdown. At this point, the launch will be put on hold until everything is in place for the final coundown to begin. Luckily, the launch window allows for some flexibility.

“We’ve got quite a bit of work left,” Nasa’s launch director says. “We need to evaluate once we get there.”

Artemis 1 launch

10:28 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Nasa’s Artemis Moon program is about to change the future of humanity in space, writes The Independent’s Jon Kelvey in a wide-ranging feature about today’s mission.

As the countdown approaches 150 minutes, it offers a reminder of the significance of today’s launch.

For starters, it will be the biggest rocket ever launched, pulling 39.1 meganewtons of thrust. That’s 15 per cent more than the Saturn V rockets used during the Apollo missions to the Moon.

You can read the full story here:

Nasa’s Artemis launch is about to change the future of humanity in space

Artemis 1 launch

10:09 , Vishwam Sankaran

Both H2 and O2 tanks nearly completely filled, Nasa says.

The liquid hydrogen and oxygen tanks – the largest tanks part of any rocket – are filling fast towards completion, the space agency noted in a broadcast.

“You will see vapour coming that’s because both tanks are boiling and that’s normal. You can see good flow coming from the vent at the top,” Nasa said.

Artemis 1 launch

09:55 , Vishwam Sankaran

Teams are looking at tanking operations closely as both H2 and O2 tanks are filling fast.

Nasa updated that the Artemis 1 space launch system’s H2 tank is more than half filled and the liquid oxygen tank over three-fourths full.

“Both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are currently in fast fill. Teams are monitoring closely,” the agency tweeted.

Teams are working towards a two-hour launch window opening at 8:33 AM EDT from Launch Pad 39B at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Artemis 1 launch

09:46 , Vishwam Sankaran

Engineers troubleshoot liquid hydrogen leak during rocket fuelling.

Nasa troubleshoots a spike in the leak of liquid hydrogen observed during the transition from slow fill to fast fill of the Artemis I space launch system.

A similar issue was identified in an earlier wet dress rehearsal, the agency said, adding that it may not necessarily be the same cause.

“The leak is at an acceptable level and we have returned to fast fill operations,” it added.

09:11 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Artemis 1 launch

Nasa’s countdown has just passed the four hour mark, though the launch team has been forced to stop the flow of liquid hydrogen after an overpressure alarm was sounded at the Space Launch System core stage.

Roughly 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen need to be pumped into the core stage ahead of lift off, with any delays meaning the launch of Aremis 1 could be pushed back to further in the window, or even postponed altogether.

This graphic gives the latest view of the filling of the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen core stages:

How the Artemis mission Orion spaceship compares with Apollo spacecraft

08:30 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa expects to send astronauts to the lunar surface sometime in 2025 in its Artemis III mission aboard its Orion spacecraft.

Compared to the Apollo spacecraft that took astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin to the Moon, Nasa expects Orion to fly to the Moon and beyond.

Orion is also heavier and more spacious than Apollo enough to house four to six astronauts.

While Apollo was limited by the digital technology of the 1960s, Nasa says Orion’s computer is nearly 4,000 times more powerful than the one on Apollo.

Read more comparisons of the two spacecraft in this story by The Independent’s Jon Kelvey.

How Nasa’s new Moon spaceship Orion compares with the Apollo spacecraft

Liquid hydrogen fuelling started

07:43 , Vishwam Sankaran

Slow fill for liquid hydrogen into the Artemis I mission rocket has begun.

“We are currently at 8 per cent filled on the liquid oxygen front and activity has kicked off on the liquid hydrogen side,” Nasa announced in its broadcast.

“We are at the ‘fast stage’ of liquid oxygen and slow stage of liquid hydrogen fuelling – two important milestones to getting the rocket tanked,” the agency said.

Liquid oxygen fuelling has begun

07:27 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa has begun the slow fill of liquid oxygen of the Artemis I mission rocket.

“Core stage liquid oxygen slow fill has now begun. Liquid hydrogen to follow. This operation will take roughly 3-4 hours,” the space agency noted in a tweet.

Liquid oxygen (LOX) is the oxidiser to make the liquid hydrogen (LH2) burn. The two chemicals together make the propellant.

Nasa announces plans to send humans beyond Mars ahead of Moon mission launch

07:06 , Vishwam Sankaran

On Sunday, ahead of Nasa’s Artemis I Moon mission launch, the agency unveiled the organisation’s long-term ambitions to go beyond Mars and lay the foundations for a “presence throughout the solar system.”

“With Artemis I launch we are at a historic inflection point poised to begin the most significant series of science and human exploration missions in over a generation,” Nasa associate administrator for technology Bhavya Lal said.

Nasa unveils plans to send astronauts beyond Mars ahead of Artemis I mission to moon

“We are making sure that the agency’s architecture for human exploration is rooted in long-term mission - that of sustained human presence on Moon, Mars, and throughout the solar system,” she added.

'Tanking is good to go’

06:23 , Vishwam Sankaran

Weather constraints on Artemis I mission fuelling operations lifted, Nasa announced.

“We are below the 20 per cent threshold of lightning within 5 nautical miles of the launch pad. Great news. That means tanking operations may proceed,” the space agency said in its live broadcast.

“The pre-chilling of the launch system has begun and we are out of the weather hold,” Nasa said.

Nasa holding off full fuelling as storm approaching

05:54 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa has announced that it is holding off full propellant loading operations as a storm is approaching the Kennedy Space Center from the southwest.

“Launch weather officer wants to keep an eye on those. We want to monitor it for another 15 mins or so to get to less than 20 per cent chance of lightning which is a constraint to begin cryo loading,” the space agency said.

Meanwhile, teams are preparing for loading the giant rocket with pre-chilled fuel, Nasa noted.

Nasa begins fuelling Moon rocket

05:07 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa has begun tanking operations for the Artemis I Mission.The space agency has begun live coverage of the fueling of the Space Launch System Moon rocket on the Artemis I mission.

Teams are loading the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen starting first with the rocket’s core stage and then the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, Nasa said in a blog post.Teams will also conduct leak checks to ensure propellant loading is proceeding as expected.

Nasa's big new Moon rocket ready for liftoff

04:36 , Vishwam Sankaran

Nasa officials have said all systems appeared “go” for liftoff ahead of Monday's planned launch of the space agency’s powerful new Moon rocket.

The Nasa test director gave the “go” for rocket booster power up, and all non-essential personnel at the Kennedy Space Center left the launch pad area in preparation for propellant loading operations, the space agency announced on Sunday.

Weather forecasts say there’s an 80 per cent chance of favourable conditions for launch during the two-hour launch window starting at 8.33 AM EDT on Monday.

If the countdown is halted for any reason, Nasa has set 2 and 5 September as potential backup dates for launch.

Nasa predicts favourable weather for Artemis launch

Sunday 28 August 2022 18:47 , David Taintor

In a blog post on Sunday, Nasa said the weather forecast looked favourable ahead of Monday’s launch:

“Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 predict an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions at the beginning of the two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 a.m. EDT Aug. 29, with a 60% change of favorable weather conditions toward the later part of the window. The primary weather concern for the two-hour launch window remains scattered rain showers. The weather guidelines for NASA’s Artemis I flight test identify conditions to launch the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft.”

Read Nasa’s full post ahead of the launch here.

Nasa says mission ‘go for launch’

Tuesday 23 August 2022 05:57 , Vishwam Sankaran

Artemis I mission is ready for launch, Nasa announced on Monday.

The space agency’s Flight Readiness Review assessed the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft currently at the launchpad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It concluded that the mission is a “go for launch,” Nasa associate administrator Bob Cabana said at a press briefing.

Teams are working toward a two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 AM EDT Monday, 29 August, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B, the agency said.

Alternative to Nasa’s dark live feed

Wednesday 17 August 2022 03:24 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa’s designated live feed of the roll out of its big SLS Moon rocket appears to be set up on the wrong side of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center, but there are alternatives for those viewers who want to see the roll out.

The center’s live feed on Youtube continues to show a dimly lit building 20 minutes after the SLS rocket began rolling out of the VAB at 10pm EDT.

As an alternative, Nasa’s Exploration Ground Systems Facebook account is offering a Facebook live video involving interviews with astronauts in front of the big door of the VAB, with the SLS and mobile launcher visible in the background.

As of 10.21pm EDT, the SLS rocket can be seen nearly fully out of the VAB, the first few steps of what will be a nearly four mile, 10 hour journey to Launch Complex 39B.

The big SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft it carries will launch from 39B no sooner than 8.33am EDT on 29 August.

SLS rollout begins

Wednesday 17 August 2022 03:10 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa’s SLS rocket has begun its slow roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, according to a Tweet by the center’s Twitter account.

As of 10.08pm EDT however, it’s still hard to make much out in the Kennedy Space Center Youtube live stream of the roll out.

Potential foul weather cause of delay in rollout

Wednesday 17 August 2022 02:59 , Jon Kelvey

According to a tweet by the Twitter account of Nasa’s Exloration Ground Systems, which manages the SLS rollout and pre-launch activities, potential storms in the area of Kennedy Space Center are the cause of the delay in the big rocket’s rollout.

Nasa had targeted a 9 p.m. roll out Tuesday evening, but the space agency now expects the big rocker will roll out no earlier than 10pm EDT

SLS rollout pushed back to no earlier than 10pm EDT

Wednesday 17 August 2022 02:54 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa has pushed back the SLS rollout once again, this time targeting no earlier than 10pm EDT Tuesday evening, according to a tweet posted by the Kennedy Space Center account.

The mobile launch on which the big rocket stands is clearly visible in the doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building in the picture accompanying the tweet.

All lit up

Wednesday 17 August 2022 02:21 , Jon Kelvey

Although Nasa has delayed the roll out of the SLS rocket by at least a half hour until 9.30pm EDT or later Tuesday evening, the space agency has shared images of the mobile launcher that holds the rocket on social media.

In an image tweeted by Nasa’s Exploration Ground System’s Twitter account after 8pm EDT Tuesday, the mobile launcher can be seen lit up in the massive doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, and against a dusky sky.

Rollout of SLS rocket pushed back to 9.30pm EDT

Wednesday 17 August 2022 02:16 , Jon Kelvey

Nasa has pushed back this evening’s rollout of the SLS and Orion until no earlier than 9.30pm EDT, leaving open the possibility the first movement of the big rocket could take place even later than the initial 9pm target.

Once SLS exits the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center where workers have readied the launch vehicle for flight, it will take around 10 hours to crawl slowly toward Launch Complex 39B.

The rocket, with the Orion spacecraft at its top, will remain on the launch pad until what is hopefully a successful launch of the Artemis I mission on 29 August, or either of the back up launch windows on 2 and 5 September.

The delay in the rollout this evening is on the balance rather small, so far, given Nasa pushed the date for the roll out up three days; SLS was originally set to stay in the VAB until Friday.

What is Nasa’s Space Launch System?

Tuesday 16 August 2022 23:01 , Johanna Chisholm

Nasa’s Space Launch System, or SLS, is the largest rocket constructed since the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo program.

In its current configuration known as Block 1, SLS consists of a core booster field by liquid hydrogen and oxygen with two solid rocket boosters mounted on its sides reminiscent of the Space Shuttle, altogether capable of producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust. That’s about 15 per cent more thrust than the Saturn V — when it launches on 29 August, SLS will be the most powerful rocket ever launched.

Together with the Orion spacecraft at its apex, SLS stands 322 feet tall, and can lift more than 90 tons into low Earth orbit. Together with the SLS Block 1 upper stage, known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, the launch system can deliver 27 tons of payload to the Moon.

‘Plasma’ breakthrough could let humans live on Mars

Tuesday 16 August 2022 22:01 , Johanna Chisholm

Artemis I is the first test flight for SLS and Orion and will serve as a crucial test for making sure all the related systems function properly in space before the first humans climb aboard for Artemis II in 2023. But it will also serve as a proving ground for whether or not humans can surpass the next space frontier: getting boots on the ground on Mars.

Outside of the engineering feat that it would take to physically land on the red planet, there are other more concerning restrictions. Namely, the planet is hostile for supporting human life. It does not have the oxygen required for breathing, nor the fuel for the machinery and equipment people will need to live in its desolate environment.

A new plasma breakthrough, however, could help humans live on Mars, according to the scientists who made it.

Scientists hope to build a system that would help support life as well as make the chemicals needed for processing fuels, making materials and fertilising plants.

Keep reading the full report from my colleague Andrew Griffin:

‘Plasma’ breakthrough could let humans live on Mars

Nasa says it will investigate mysterious mounds on moon in Artemis mission

Tuesday 16 August 2022 21:01 , Johanna Chisholm

In June, Nasa announced that the space agency had selected two new instrument suites for what it calls “priority” science missions in its upcoming Artemis lunar space programme, including one to explore mysterious mounds on the moon.

The American space agency has selected an instrument called the Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-Vise) to study the Gruithuisen Domes on the moon, which have puzzled scientists since they appear to have been formed by a magma rich in silica, similar in composition to granite.

Researchers say formations like these need oceans of liquid water and plate tectonics to form on earth.

Without these “key ingredients” on the moon, scientists are puzzled about how these domes formed and evolved over time.

Keep reading the full report about the mysterious space mounds on the moon from The Independent:

Nasa says it will investigate mysterious mounds on moon

How to live stream the the rollout of Nasa’s megarocket ahead of Artemis I launch

Tuesday 16 August 2022 20:00 , Johanna Chisholm

The megarocket that will be responsible for launching the Artemis I mission on 29 August begins it’s slow rollout to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday evening.

For those who would enjoy nothing more than to bask in watching the enormous Space Launch System (SLS) make the 4km-trek to the launch pad on Tuesday, you’ll be able to scratch that itch by following Nasa’s live stream, which goes live at 3pm EST.

Follow along in the video below, or click on this link to watch on the official YouTube page:

Nasa’s first Space Launch System rocket scheduled to roll onto platform tonight

Tuesday 16 August 2022 19:04 , Johanna Chisholm

Nasa confirmed that the space agency’s Space Launch System rocket, which will be responsible for launching the Artemis I mission on 29 August, should be rolling onto Launch Pad 39B as soon as 9pm EDT on Tuesday.

Watch: Follow Nasa’s Orion Spacecraft path on the Artemis I mission

Tuesday 16 August 2022 18:24 , Johanna Chisholm

Curious to know what the path for Nasa’s Orion spacecraft will look like?

Fear not, as Lockheed Martin, an American aerospace, arms, defense and technology corporation, has released an easy to follow visualisation that will help you envision exactly what the spacecraft is doing when it launches on 29 August.

Check out the visual explainer below:

Watch: Nasa mini-doc on the assembly of the Space Launch System

Tuesday 16 August 2022 17:24 , Johanna Chisholm

As Nasa prepares for the Artemis I mission, the space agency has released a new mini documentary feature that traces the path of the assembly of the most powerful rocket Nasa engineers have ever built.

Watch documentary footage of Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s transformation into the over-300-foot-tall launch vehicle that will return humanity to the Moon.

Nasa to roll its big Moon rocket to launch pad on Tuesday, three days early

Tuesday 16 August 2022 17:11 , Johanna Chisholm

Nasa will roll its massive Moon rocket to the launch pad three days early, now targeting the evening of Tuesday 16 August to begin moving the giant launch vehicle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Once Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is on the launch pad, preparations will begin for the first ever test flight of the big rocket currently scheduled for 8.33am EDT on 29 August. Nasa hopes that SLS, along with the Orion spacecraft it carries, will be the cornerstone of the space agency’s Artemis Moon program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2025.

The 29 August launch and pre-launch activities will be carried live on Nasa TV, the Nasa app, and the space agency’s website. If Nasa has to scrub the launch, additional launch windows open on 2 and 5 September.

Keep reading the full report from my colleague Jon Kelvey below:

Nasa to roll its big Moon rocket to launch pad on Tuesday, three days early

Nasa officials outline 29 August Artemis I Moon mission

Tuesday 16 August 2022 17:09 , Johanna Chisholm

Nasa’s long-awaited return to the Moon could begin as soon as 29 August, the space agency announced earlier this month during a press conference.

“The Saturn five took us to the moon, half a century ago,” Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson said. “Now, as we embark on the first Artemis test flight, we recall this agency’s storied past, but our eyes are focused not on the immediate future, but out there.”

Artemis is Nasa’s new Moon program, and the upcoming flight on 29 August is dubbed Artemis I. It will be an uncrewed test flight to test Nasa’s huge Moon rocket, the Space Launch System, or SLS, and the Orion spacecraft, which will fly to, around, and beyond the Moon before returning to Earth 42 days later.

Read the full story from The Independent below:

Nasa officials outline 29 August Artemis I Moon mission

What you need to know about Nasa’s next big space launch

Tuesday 16 August 2022 17:07 , Johanna Chisholm

The biggest rocket launch to take place since 1973 could happen later this month, as Nasa hopes to launch its new Moon rocket on its maiden test flight.

The Artemis I mission, a test flight of Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, is scheduled to lift off no earlier than 8.33am EDT on 29 August, with backup launch windows on 2 and 5 September in case weather or other concerns cause Nasa to scrub the launch.

The launch and pre-launch activities will be carried live on Nasa TV, the Nasa app, and the space agency’s website.

Here’s everything you need to know about Nasa’s next big space launch, as reported by The Independent’s Jon Kelvey:

What you need to know about Nasa’s next big space launch

Tuesday 16 August 2022 17:05 , Johanna Chisholm

Welcome to the live blog coverage of Nasa’s preparation to launch its Artemis I mission, which is scheduled for as soon as 29 August.

Follow along here for live updates of the launch.