Astronauts get first look at the spacecraft that will fly them around the moon

The group of four astronauts designated to orbit the moon next year were recently given their initial viewing of the spacecraft, and NASA cautioned on Tuesday that there might be additional delays.

The astronauts glimpsed their incomplete Orion capsule, marked with red “Remove Before Flight” labels, and were noticeably awed by what they saw.

Christina Koch, one of the astronauts, conveyed her excitement to journalists, stating that nothing else quite resembled the spacecraft and that the sight of it sent shivers down her spine.

During their late Monday and Tuesday visit to Kennedy Space Center, the U.S.-Canadian crew examined the capsule. NASA’s intention is to launch the four astronauts on a mission to the moon and back in the latter part of the next year.

However, scrutiny of the capsule’s heat shield could push back this inaugural manned lunar journey in over 50 years. An uncrewed test flight last year resulted in unanticipated charring and loss of material from the heat shield, a crucial component designed to safeguard the capsule from intense reentry heat.

Challenges are also faced by the following mission in the Artemis program, aimed at landing on the moon. This could shift from late 2025 to 2026, mainly due to concerns about SpaceX’s Starship, the rocket responsible for transporting two NASA astronauts to the lunar south pole.

NASA has expressed apprehension over SpaceX’s ability to accomplish everything on schedule after an explosion occurred during Starship’s single test flight so far. The space agency is holding back on committing to a lunar landing using Starship until SpaceX performs multiple orbital flights, establishes a refueling depot around Earth, and successfully completes a moon-landing dress rehearsal.

Jim Free, NASA’s exploration systems development chief, expressed hope for a clearer understanding of the situation by this fall.

Astronaut Victor Glover also emphasized the extensive amount of work ahead.

Despite these lingering concerns, the atmosphere at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building was optimistic on Tuesday. The astronauts, who were chosen for the mission amid much celebration last spring, reflected on the significance of the upcoming moon landing.

The mission’s crew commander, Reid Wiseman, expressed that it’s the subsequent moon landing that truly encapsulates the dream for them.

In preparation for an acoustic test, more than 200 rock concert speakers were placed around the capsule. NASA intends to test the capsule’s resilience by exposing it to up to 143 decibels of noise, simulating the roaring sounds of a launch.

Pointing to the capsule, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen affirmed, “That’s real … It’s not a dream.”

The report concluded with a note that the Big Big News Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group, with the AP being solely accountable for all the content.

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More about astronauts

• NASA’s Artemis Program
• Orion Spacecraft
• SpaceX’s Starship
• Kennedy Space Center
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group