Ракета sls та оріон рушають до стартового майданчика

Following more than a decade of development, delays and testing, NASA's most powerful rocket ever now seems ready for liftoff. The Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft exited the vehicle assembly building yesterday, headed to the launchpad for a maiden journey around the Moon.

NASA laid out the potential launch windows for its uncrewed Artemis I demo last month, eyeing a series of dates on which the necessary elements would align for mission success. This involves timing the Moon's position in its lunar cycle for successful entry to orbit, mostly keeping the Orion spacecraft out of darkness and timing the capsule's return to Earth for a daytime splashdown.