Watch NASA light the world's most expensive firework.
- When Is the Launch Happening?
- How to Watch the Launch Live Online
- What to Expect From One of the Biggest 'Please Don't Explode' Moments in NASA History
NASA is set to undertake the historic launch of its super heavy moon rocket for the first time on Monday. Here's how and when you can watch it live.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is the single most powerful rocket ever created. It is, to all intents and purposes, the modern day equivalent of the mighty Saturn V rocket that sent the first humans to the Moon in the 1960s and 70s.
Nations across the globe have once again set their sites on putting boots on the Moon, and NASA hopes that the SLS will be instrumental in returning humans to the Moon in the coming decades as part of the Artemis Program.
However, launching an untested rocket is a risky endeavour, and so before it can safely hurl a human crew into orbit – and far beyond – NASA has to prove that it can actually fly.
When Is the Launch Happening?
The first uncrewed flight of the SLS, known as Artemis 1, is set to take place just a few short days from now on Monday, August 29.
The rocket was rolled out to Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Spaceflight Center in Florida on August 17 atop a leviathan crawler, and by all indications the SLS is well on track for launch.
NASA completed its Flight Readiness Review on the 22nd, giving the rocket a green light to lift off, and as of the most recent reports there’s a 70 percent chance that weather conditions will remain favorable for the two hour launch window.
In other words, after a decade of planning and engineering, it may finally be time to light the biggest candle on Earth, and here’s how you can watch it live.
How to Watch the Launch Live Online
NASA is set to provide live coverage of the August 29 launch throughout the day on its NASA TV channel on the official website or via its YouTube channel.
Hardcore space nerds can tune in early from 9pm Pacific / 12 am Eastern / 5am UK onwards to watch coverage of propellant loading, wherein the gargantuan tanks housed within the core stage of the SLS are filled with 730,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Full launch coverage will kick off at 3:30pm Pacific / 6:30am Eastern / 11am UK and will provide buildup and coverage of the launch window, which opens at 5:33am Pacific / 8:33 am Eastern / 1:33pm UK. Assuming that liftoff is successful, the broadcast will continue to follow the massive rocket as it shrugs off Earth’s atmosphere, separates, and shunts the upper part of the spacecraft including the Orion crew capsule into a rendezvous trajectory with the Moon.
At 9am Pacific / 12pm Eastern / 5pm UK, NASA TV will host a postlaunch news conference, followed at around 1pm Pacific / 4pm Eastern / 9pm UK by coverage of another upper stage rocket burn. Assuming everything goes to plan, viewers who tune in at 2:30pm Pacific / 5:30pm Eastern / 10:30pm UK will be rewarded by Earth views captured from the Orion capsule as it makes its way to the Moon.
NASA's Super Heavy Moon Rocket – The Space Launch System
What to Expect From One of the Biggest 'Please Don't Explode' Moments in NASA History
Make no mistake, this is a historically important launch, the success, or failure, of which will help shape the trajectory of NASA's lunar exploration plans in the decades to come.
A massive amount of money has been poured into the creation of the SLS, whose launch and development – as is commonplace when it comes to space exploration – has been fraught with multiple delays and budget increases.
It is also worth pointing out that, in a modern space age setting where SpaceX is innovating the use of reusable rockets such as the phenomenally successful Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and the upcoming Starship, the SLS is a one and done rocket. It is entirely non reusable, and considering that each launch comes with a pricetag of around $4.1 billion U.S. dollars, its fair to say that NASA will be desperate to see the rocket perform impressively on its first outing.
The standard set of prelaunch checks will be a nervy affair, but if mission operators are satisfied and the green light is ultimately given, it will be a historic sight to behold. After all, It's not often that you get to witness a 320 foot tall rocket that weighs in at 5.75 million pounds kick out 8.8 million pounds of thrust as it battles to escape Earth's gravitational influence.
Under perfect conditions, the launch could occur very close to the launch window opening. Equally, if there are any bad weather or issues downrange, NASA won't hesitate to make the most of the two-hour launch opportunity or to ground the rocket altogether. It's still far from a sure thing.
Regardless, along the way we can expect constant commentary from the NASA team, both prior to and during the launch, breaking down the capabilities of the rocket. We're also sure to get interviews with its creators discussing the goals and challenges surrounding the Artemis-1 mission.
As an added bonus, the broadcast will also include appearances from celebrities Keke Palmer, Jack Black and Chris Evans, along with musical performances from Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock and the Philadelphia Orchestra accompanied by Yo-Yo Ma and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
In short, Nasa really wants people to enjoy the maiden launch of their very, very expensive rocket.
Throughout the mission, you'll be able to track the exact location and of the Orion capsule and key mission stats via NASA's Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW), which will go online on August the 28th.
Anthony Wood is a freelance writer at IGN