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NASA's new moon rocket lifts off from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. PA

NASA successfully launches new powerful rocket heading for the Moon

It was third time lucky for NASA after two previous launch attempts were canceled for technical reasons.

NASA HAS LAUNCHED the most powerful rocket ever built on a journey to the Moon in a spectacular blaze of light and sound that marked the start of the space agency’s new flagship program, Artemis.

The 32-story tall Space Launch System (SLS) blasted off from the storied Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1.47 am (6.47am Irish time).

“We are going,” tweeted the space agency.

Fixed to its top was the uncrewed Orion spaceship that will later separate and complete an orbit-and-a-half of Earth’s nearest neighbor, in a test run for later flights that should see the first woman and first person of color touch down on lunar soil by the mid-2020s.

America last sent astronauts to the Moon during the Apollo era, from 1969-1972. This time it hopes to build a sustained presence – including a lunar space station – to help prepare for an eventual mission to Mars.

The launch came despite technical issues that ate into the two-hour launch window that opened at 1.04 am.

Engineers were forced to pause the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage Tuesday night because of a valve leak, though a team sent to the launch pad resolved the problem after an hour.

Later, the space agency reported that a radar site monitoring the rocket’s flight path was experiencing problems due to a faulty ethernet switch that had to be replaced.

It was third time lucky for NASA after two previous launch attempts were canceled for technical reasons. Launch was also delayed due to weather setbacks, including Hurricane Ian that battered Florida in late September.

‘Extremely excited’

About 100,000 people were expected on the coast to watch the launch, with the rocket promising to light up the night sky.

Andrew Trombley, a space enthusiast from St. Louis, Missouri, was anxiously hoping for a successful liftoff after several futile trips made for the launch.

“I’ve been down here a couple of times already to watch this thing go up and have it canceled, so, this is like, whatever, the third trip down here for this, so I’m excited to see it go,” said the network engineer.

“I was too little for the Apollo missions, so … I wanted to be here in person.”

Kerry Warner, 59, a grandmother and semi-retired educator who lives in Florida, was fired up for liftoff, which she said was “part of America and what America is all about.”

“Third time’s the charm. We’re hoping for it.”

Far side of Moon

The Orion crew capsule was being lifted by two boosters and four powerful engines under the core stage, which detached after only a few minutes.

After a final push from the upper stage, the capsule will be well on its way, taking several days to reach its destination.

Rather than landing on the Moon, it will assume a distant orbit, venturing 64,000 kilometers beyond the far side – further than any other habitable spacecraft so far.

Finally, Orion will embark on the return leg of its journey. When passing through the atmosphere, the capsule’s heat shield will need to withstand a temperature half as hot as the Sun’s surface.

The mission will last 25 and a half days, with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on 11 December.

NASA is banking on a successful mission after developing the SLS rocket for more than a decade. It will have invested more than $90 billion in its new lunar program by the end of 2025, according to a public audit.

Artemis 2 will involve a flyby of the Moon with astronauts in 2024, while Artemis 3 will see boots on lunar soil, no sooner than 2025.

© AFP 2022 

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:24 AM

    The goddess Artemis is the twin sister of the goddess Apollo.

    Nice touch.

    94
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    Mute John Sheahan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 8:00 AM

    This is what Putin should be spending his time and money on. Let’s start another space race, not arms race.

    - Superman 4, The quest for peace.

    47
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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:24 AM

    They finally got it up.

    29
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    Mute Daniel O'Connor
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:57 AM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: Chance for me yet so

    38
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 16th 2022, 7:54 AM

    Simulated landing in the desert??

    15
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    Mute Terry Fagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 9:35 AM

    @Dave Barrett: There’s always one, and it’s always the one without a profile pic. Glad you got that off your chest now are you? Go on back to your phone in one hand and your lad in the other.

    43
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 16th 2022, 11:51 AM

    @Terry Fagan: Resorting to comments like that says a lot about you. I missed the part in terms and conditions when using the journal that you must have a profile picture. Reported you for said remark.

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    Mute Stuart Birney
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    Nov 16th 2022, 12:51 PM

    @Dave Barrett: But based on your ridiculous comment, you’re clearly a conspiracy theorists nut job who thinks the moon landing was fake so I have to side with Terry here; lad in hand sounds about right lol

    16
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 16th 2022, 1:28 PM

    @Stuart Birney: is Terry Yr partner? Just asking for a friend.

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    Mute Terry Fagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 1:42 PM

    @Dave Barrett: Your comment warranted that response in my book. Shame on you for telling the teacher on me though.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Nov 16th 2022, 2:06 PM

    @Terry Fagan: what can I say! Some people to be checked now and again.

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    Mute Niall Gannon
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    Nov 16th 2022, 2:18 PM

    @Dave Barrett:

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    Couldn’t find anyone with a tinfoil hat on. This is close enough!!

    4
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    Mute Niall Gannon
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    Nov 16th 2022, 2:37 PM

    @Niall Gannon:

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    1
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    Mute Maria Hickey-Fagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 4:00 PM

    @Dave Barrett: easy there, snowflake. Did your fee-fees get hurt? Not to worry. When you grow up, you’ll understand that not everyone needs to be “checked” when they have a different opinion to you.

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    Mute Terry Fagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 9:44 AM

    Watched it live this morning, great to see it finally go! Pity it was a night launch though, not as spectacular as a daytime one.

    13
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    Mute Dave Ryan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 9:50 AM

    @Terry Fagan: will it take new HD pics of the moon and will it take pics of the old landing sights… would like to see a pic of the old lunar rover now

    6
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    Mute Terry Fagan
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    Nov 16th 2022, 10:01 AM

    @Dave Ryan:No, they’re concentrating on the south pole and far side for this mission. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took photos of the landing sites some years ago. Have a look here

    https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/revisited/index.html

    16
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