KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — After several delays, NASA launched its Artemis I moon rocket at 1:47 a.m. on Wednesday.
The initial launch was slated for August 29 but was pushed back because of a hydrogen leak in the spacecraft. The mission was then further delayed due to technical issues, Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole.
News 3 previously reported that Langley engineers have been very involved in the planning process for the Artemis I mission and the subsequent Artemis II and Artemis III expeditions.
Related: Langley engineers counting down as NASA schedules Artemis I launch
Emily Judd who leads the Lunar Architecture Team at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton said those working on the project have been “waiting very anxiously” to see the rocket take flight.
“This is the first flight of this rocket, and it is a test, so we’re going to be kind of stressing the systems to see how they respond and perform in these environments,” said Judd.
No astronauts are aboard for the Artemis I mission. The mission is serving as a test run to ensure the Orion space capsule is able to orbit the moon and return to Earth.
