Mission Summary
Artemis I was the first mission of NASA’s Artemis program, designed to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future deep-space exploration. Launched on November 16, 2022, the uncrewed mission tested the powerful Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft during a journey beyond the Moon.
After reaching lunar space, Orion entered a distant retrograde orbit, traveling farther from Earth than any spacecraft designed for astronauts had gone before. The mission tested critical systems including navigation, communications, power, life support components, and the spacecraft’s heat shield during a high-speed return through Earth’s atmosphere.
Orion successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2022, completing a major step toward future crewed Artemis missions. Artemis I demonstrated the spacecraft and launch systems needed to carry astronauts back to lunar orbit and eventually to the Moon’s surface.
Sources and notes can be found on the Sources page.
