Artemis I - First Joint Launch Countdown Simulation

Seen here is an exterior view of the Launch Control Center (LCC) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, located next to the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building, on July 8, 2021. The LCC will house the team of engineers responsible for launching the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission. On July 8, teams from Kennedy, Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, and Johnson Space Center in Houston came together to perform the first joint integrated launch countdown simulation for Artemis I. The training exercise involved rehearsing all aspects of the launch countdown, from cryogenic loading – filling tanks in the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen – to liftoff. These simulations will help certify that the launch team is ready for Artemis I – the first test flight of SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon.