We're on the NASA team that just launched Artemis I around the Moon and brought it back to Earth. Ask us anything!

Hi Artemis team, 1-)How long did it take to write autonomous flight software of Artemis programme and how many engineers/scientists were involved in the process? 2-)Have you used algorithms from previous Apollo missions?

The software development follows the hardware, to some degree. I like to say that the software is the functional integrator of the hardware. So, the software development for the Space Launch System rocket started after the initial archiecture was decided. Several hundred engineers are involved in the software process, which includes numerous simulations and checking the physics-based models.

The SLS flight and hardware is significantly different than the Saturn V used on Apollo, and our trajectories are also different. So, while we have learned much from the Apollo Program, the launch vehicle software for Artemis is totally different. -JB

Were there any surprises that you were not expecting along the way that need to be investigated further?

There were many areas where Orion performed better than expected during the mission.

As an example, more power was generated by the solar arrays and less power was needed for things like heaters during the mission. As part of the post-flight analysis, the engineers will be reviewing all of this data to see where Orion capabilities can be expanded as we go forward to more complex missions.

There were some minor issues discovered during the mission as well. Teams performed troubleshooting during the mission, and that data will also be reviewed to determine if corrective actions are needed for future flights. -MZ

What were you MOST nervous about with designing/integrating/building/testing/launching? When was it? Did your apprehension get adequately resolved prior to launch? Obviously, it worked out in this test, which is fantastic.

The team worked hard to learn the SLS rocket and the systems prior to launch. It was good rigorous engineering. As the SLS Chief Engineer, I was not nervous - I knew the teams and the checks we had done before launch should keep us in a safe posture for launch.

It was a great launch, and the hardware worked great throughout flight. -JB

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The SLS rocket is designed to evolve into different, more advanced configurations to power NASA's deep space missions.

SLS is designed to send heavy cargos, like human transport, to the Moon. There are various options for cargo, like rovers, to include rockets that are available now and in the future. -JB

Hey! Congratulations on a successful mission.

It seemed like the Artemis I mission went off without major issues or setbacks(weather aside)

Considering that success, what obstacles prevent Artemis II from fast tracking to a mission that lands on the moon?

I’m sure there’s a logical explanation, but I’m really curious.

Also, the launch of Artemis I was my first in person, and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed.

Glad you enjoyed the launch. The windows were sure shaking in the Launch Control Center!

The first obstacle we face is getting some of the Artemis I electronics back to install them on Artemis II. First they have to be retested, so that takes some time.

We are also putting a lot of new hardware into the capsule for the environmental control and life support systems that were not on Artemis I, and we are learning how to do that as we move through assembly of this configuration for the first time. - JF

What lessons from the Artemis missions will be most useful in eventual missions to Mars?

From the human exploration perspective, I think the sustainability aspect of how we learn to stay on the lunar surface for long durations where we utilize the materials from the surface (e.g., water, regolith), as well as re-use/recycle things in our own habitats, like we do on the International Space Station, should help us on our missions to Mars. -SB

Any working spacesuit/material prototypes for the Lunar dust issue? How effective in preventing it from damaging the suits and systems for the long-term presence that Artemis promises?

We have dust mitigation roadmaps for all of our systems, both on the surface and for those in orbit around the Moon, because we will be carrying dust up from the surface too. Our new suits will include protections to cover the joints, as well. -JF

What was your favorite part of Moonfall?

We've been so busy getting SLS and Orion off the ground, so we are behind in our movies! We've been Moon-gazing at the pictures and video from Orion from the Artemis I mission, and now that Orion is back on Earth, we can catch up on movies and think about an answer to this question. -SB

A question for John Blevins - now that the first vehicle has launched I would like to hear some of your thoughts on how the vehicle performed through ascent. With all that DFI on board have you gotten a chance to pour through any of the data yet? How does it look?

Thanks for the direct question!

We are looking through the data carefully. We did get good DFI downlink, and all the critical events through launch and flight look good. The SLS rocket and the software performed nominal (an engineering word for near perfect) for this flight. We hit our insertion targets within tolerance (a measure of guidance and software functions). The flight environments all appear within predictions on the rocket for all initial looks.

We will dig deeper to make sure we learn everything we can from the data over the next three to four months as we prepare for future SLS flights and Artemis missions. -JB

Were there any notable personal nail biting moments with Artemis launch / journey? or did it go as pre-planned?

In the first hours of the mission, there were some errors reported by an important part of the Orion navigation system. If these issues had not been resolved, it would have meant early mission termination.

We soon discovered the issues were just attributed to the sensors seeing thruster plume during the dynamic portions of flight, and everything was performing as expected. There were many opportunities to learn about the integrated vehicle performance during this test flight, and it was great to learn these lessons prior to the first crewed flight. -MZ

Since we've already "been there done that" why is this mission important? Why isnt getting to the moon just a routine thing 53 years later?

From a lunar science perspective, we only saw a small part of the Moon during Apollo - the central nearside. With Artemis, we are exploring a whole new part of the Moon, the south polar region. The rocks there are some of the oldest on the Moon and will help us look back in time and learn about how the Moon formed and evolved.

Near the south pole we will also have access to permanently shadowed regions where we think water and other volatiles are hiding, which should help us understand how water forms and moves on the Moon and across the solar system. - SN

Hi, great question!

So while we proved we could get to the Moon 53 years ago, we haven't yet had the opportunity to do the detailed science and research we need to understand how to stay on the Moon and in deep space for long durations of time.

So this time, when we go back, we will get the information we need to help us stay sustainably and stay there longer, so that we can use that knowledge to help us get to Mars. -SB

Ask us anything!

What's your "go to" order at a breakfast cafe/diner?

Edit:

[BUZZER!!] Time is up. There was a correct answer.

Moons Over My Hammy

I actually ate at Denny's in Cocoa Beach, Florida two days before launch and got eggs and pancakes! It was a great meal. - JF

What is the most significant change to future Artemis missions based on things that happened during this mission? I feel like a lot of media that reports "something didn't go as expected" focuses on the negativity of a problem even if minor and the mission itself was a success, ignoring the positive outcomes of these situations. What is something that went wrong and how will it make future missions better?

We learned about how some of our hardware responded to the radiation environment around the Moon that will help us design hardware and protect it in the future.

We also learned how a lot of our end-end systems, including ground communications, affect our operations. - JF

Thank you for the work you do!

I have a policy question. Do you believe the way forward with space exploration is commercial? It seems that science and discovery have taken a backseat and the investment in NASA has become tied to its ability to generate economical advantage.

Extending human presence farther into the solar system will require the best of government, industry, and the international community.

There is a saying that "if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together." We all have a role to play, and we achieve more when we can work toward our goals together. - JF

Does Artemis have the ability to deploy satellites as it rounds the moon?

The Space Launch System (SLS) has the ability to take cubesats to orbit and actually took 10 cubesats on the Artemis I Mission. -JF

Given that the Artemis missions are an international effort, how proud does it make you to be working with people from multiple countries to make these missions successful? And, what does it say for how far we've come in regard to international relations and space exploration?

Our international efforts are essential to our success.

We have built off of our International Space Station experience to bring in our European partners for the European Service Module. Watching that in the Artemis I mission was outstanding!

We have many future partnership on other elements including further European elements and with Japan as well. We also bring in a number of other countries through our Artemis Accords. We have come a long way since Apollo! - JF

What would you tell a 6 year old girl that likes watching space stuff with her dad?

We love that you're interested in space and in science. I have always loved science, just like you!

Growing up, I read up as many books as I could in science. Science is fun, there's always something new to learn. We need interested and dedicated young people to join our mission, so we hope you will continue to work hard, enjoy science, and stay interested in the world around you and maybe join us some day! - SB

I read recently that you've decided to reuse certain avionics from the Orion capsule from Artemis I for Artemis II and it seemed to be implied that this was unusual. Could you explain why this decision was made, and what the benefits are?

We made the decision to reuse the avionics as part of an effort to save budget. It is not unusual, but it does mean that we need the time to get them back from Artemis I, test and install them before we can go on and complete Artemis II. -JF

Hi! I work on the operations team for some of the GSE in the mobile launcher used for EM-1.

What kind of advancements will be made to the Orion capsule to modernize it for future missions?

On the operations side, there was some pressure to launch before Starship (not directly expressed), but I’m curious to know how much pressure their was on the management side of things.

Thanks for coming on Reddit to talk about our work!

Thanks for your hard work!!

Orion will be fully outfitted with environmental control and life support systems for Artemis II. Artemis I was only partially outfitted with those sytems. We will also make some changes in the propulsion system configuration for reliability in Artemis IV.

As far as pressure to launch, the only pressure we felt was to go when we were ready. - JF

This is amazing! Congrats all around :)

Referring to long duration, currently what would be likely the maximum number of days the astronauts can be on the moon before they'd have to return? And what resource would be the most constraining?

We are aiming for 30 days for our long-duration missions on the surface of the Moon. The logistics of life support system resupply getting from the Earth to the surface is the biggest challenge.

We have to launch it, land it and move it to the crew, which all takes time and additional hardware. - JF

Hi! Teacher here forwarding some questions from the class:

In terms of establishing a long term presence on the moon, are the folks at nasa considering 3D printing any equipment or even modular buildings?

Can we even 3D print in zero G?

Is there any lunar material viable for this?

Thanks in advance. We watch nasa tv during snack and are very excited about the Artemis missions.

Hello Guys! We hope you are enjoying your snack.

Here is a video that talks about research on cement in space (and possible use on the Moon)... NASA ScienceCasts: Cementing Our Place in Space - SB

How hot was was the heatshield when Orion hit the water and how did these temperatures compare to your estimates?

We do not have any way to measure the temperatures in real-time. Because the heat shield thermal protection system (TPS) is an ablator (meaning it wears away as it comes back through the heat of re-entry through Earth's atmosphere) we are losing material, so temperature measuring devices (thermocouples) won't survive.

We do have some in-depth temperature sensors that we will use to then back-calculate the temperature of the surface. However, that data is stored on the data units on the capsule, and we won't have it until the end of January, once the capsule is back at Kennedy Space Center. -MZ

The solar panels on the service module are covered in a colorful spaghetti of cables. What are these for? I've never seen solar panels like this.

You're probably used to seeing the front of the solar panels with many solar cells that are aligned in an array. What you're describing is the back of the solar panel. This is the wiring that runs power from the solar cells back to the power distribution boxes on the spacecraft.

There is also wiring that runs to the cameras that are mounted on the end of the solar arrays. Those cameras were used to take a lot of the great imagery during the mission. -MZ

A question for John Blevins - Can you tell us which Orbiters the MPS hardware for Artemis I came out of?

The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engine used on Artemis I first flew on STS 41-G on the orbiter Challenger. Before Artemis I, it last flew on STS-112 on the orbiter Atlantis. -MZ

Congrats on a successful mission!

My question is: What are new technologies that have been developed or are being developed for this program? Will they have applications in daily life?

Many space programs have given us new and amazing tech.

Thank you!

Thank you! There are so many answers to your question.

From a very flight-focused sense and from the perspective of the SLS rocket, the materials we use make an impact in all kinds of high temperature applications. Even the advancements we do in things like computational fluid dynamics improve how those tools are used for much more common things like cars and airplanes.

I will say, time will tell the answers. Just like Apollo and the impact it had on computers, we will more clearly see the effects of Artemis as we continue these missions. -JB

What was inside the capsule? Crash-test dummies?

Hi, We had quite a bit of science inside the capsule.

We had a science package called "BioExperiment-01" that just returned this past Sunday. BioExperiment-01 consists of 4 different Space Biology experiments that are pathfinders to helping us understand how biological organisms respond to this novel environment. The four different organisms that are being studied are plants seeds, two different kinds of fungi, and one algae.

Now, in terms of the "crash-test dummies" that you see in the capsule, those are actually helping us measure the kind of radiation exposure a human would get when they are on the trip to Moon.

So, those "dummies" are strapped with radiation dosimeters as well as outfitted with and without radiation protection suits so that we can measure how well we can protect the astronaut from the radiation environment. -SB

At what point were you sure everything was going to work as expected? Was it two seconds after splashdown, or some point before that?

After we came out of the second blackout period and we received confirmation from the helicopter team that they had a visual on the capsule, we knew Orion was coming home. This was about seven minutes before splashdown. -CR & MZ

Did you sneak anything on board that would be a surprise?

Well, "sneaking" may not be the right word. But, there was an opportunity to include some mementos in the Orion capsule to honor different folks.

I put a package on board that honored several SLS engineers that passed on before they saw the fruits of their labors, so I can pass that on to their families. We also put some fun, small things in packets to pass on to schools to inspire the next group of scientists and engineers with the Artemis Generation that are on the way to their careers. -JB

how exactly will the Artemis missions assist in possible future mars missions? (P.S what you all have done is incredible)

There is so much to learn from every deep space exploration mission. With every mission, it extends our reach even farther in the universe. We have a lot to learn, and much of it isn't the hardware of our rockets, but human physiology.

Stay tuned and keep cheering for the brave explorers and the Artemis team as we push on for exploration. -JB

What is your favorite programming language?

Well now, this could cause a storm of activity, but I like writing Matlab code, but I would say that most of our engineers use C++. -JB

Everyone has heard the term 'it's not (hard like) rocket science'. I am wondering if rocket science is getting more difficult with the development of the technology or if it is getting easier, which allows for more ambitious missions?

"Rocket science" is the combination of so many different disciplines -- fluid mechanics, heat transfer, combustion, orbital mechanics, software, etc. I wouldn't say those sciences are any harder. In fact, in many cases, we understand them better, and it is that understanding that helps us focus on improved safety and reliability when we can.

And, yes, we will likely be able to extend our knowledge to advance missions. An important note here is that while our understanding is improved, the mission is still challenging. We have to work hard to focus that understanding in tangible ways to move forward with these ambitious missions to deep space. -JB

How do you even begin to model the thermal side of reentry? Seems very complex to say the least. What programs could you use? I’m interested in this type of stuff after I graduate.

Its a mix of thermal analysis and the modeling of chemical reactions and phase change. We model the portion of the ablator that turns to vapor and goes away, taking energy with it. We model the char that is left over. It is a very complex analysis process. -MZ

For Sharmila - is there anything interesting from a biological perspective you'd be looking for on the Moon? Is it a proving ground to test some tools or actually looking for something of substance - Amino acids or historical evidence of something etc?

Hi! Water would probably be one of the most important things that we'd be interested in, as it is key for many biological systems.

In addition, lunar regolith could potentially be a useful medium to grow plants in. In fact, scientists from the University of Florida recently grew plants in Apollo regolith, after augmenting the regolith with nutrients, water, and light.

So those are certainly a few things we will be looking for as materials to use from the lunar surface. I hope that helps answer your question and thanks for asking! -SB

Did it take pictures of anything weird or unusual on the dark side of the Moon?

Despite what Pink Floyd might tell you, there actually isn't a "dark" side of the Moon. Both sides get the same amount of sunlight, but because the Moon is tidally locked with the Earth, we only ever get to see one side, the "nearside."

But we have lots of pictures of the farside; the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been in orbit and taking pictures for over 13 years now, so no new secrets were revealed by the images taken during Artemis I.

I was really struck by the images Artemis I returned where we could see both the Earth and Moon in the same frame, that is a perspective we don't get very often! - SN

Will Artemis II include an EVA?

No spacewalk planned for Artemis II, but the crew will get to pilot the Orion spacecraft to test its handling during a proximity operations demonstration after it separates from the interim cryogenic propulsion stage.

One of the big goals of Artemis II will be to test our environmental control and crew life support systems with astronauts on board while near the Moon. - JF

Were there any designs that you reused completely from Apollo? More generally, what things were changed the least between Apollo and Artemis?

In a great sense, we did what Apollo did. Artemis and Apollo used the industrial base of the day to build the right ship to do the mission. During Apollo, they were using rocket engines and manufacturing methods of the day. We did that too for SLS, and that means that there is no tangible connection in hardware from Apollo to Artemis.

But, that isn't to say that all of the learning from Apollo isn't included in our designs of hardware and missions. So, to answer your last question, we have higher-performing engines and different materials today. The physics and challenges of the mission remain the same. -JB

Could you take some high-res picture of the flag/footsteps made by the first people to walk on there, to cut short to conspiracy theories?

We actually have taken these pictures!

The Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter has been in orbit around the Moon for over 13 years and has taken some amazing high resolution images of the Apollo sites! You can actually see the footpaths the astronauts took, and even some of the flags.

Check out this collection from the LROC (Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter Camera) team: http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/featured_sites#ApolloLandingSites

And, particularly for the Apollo 17 50th anniversary this week, check out this site, where you can follow the astronauts from station to station using the LROC images: http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/featured_sites/view_site/67 - SN

How's Snoopy doing?

Snoopy had a great flight to the Moon and a gentle splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11. He is spending some additional time in Orion before heading home. -CR

This question may be most relevant to Sarah. As a PhD student graduating in the next year or two, do you have any recommendations for the best way to get involved in Artemis as a super early career scientist? (I work on Diviner and lunar pits/caves at the moment for context). Thanks! :)

Hi Tyler - there will be lots of opportunities to be part of Artemis coming up.

There are a number of calls out now and coming soon, including a call for the geology team, so you might talk to your colleagues and see who is forming teams. There will also be a participating scientist call for additional team members in a year or so.

Keep an eye out for workshops and meetings you can participate in; there should be one on landing sites in the spring. And we will need help reviewing all of those proposals, so if you aren't proposing, please consider reviewing. It's a great way to find out what is going on and how to write a better proposal! - SN

Great job everyone. I have a question regarding the flight computers. I have read that is the last piece before manned flight. Why is this hardware and software the last piece that everyone is waiting on?

Hardware and software integration is one of the most demanding and complex tests that the systems undergo. Additionally, we have to wait for everything to come together to make it happen, which is why it is usually late in the flow. To mitigate this, we try and build simulators and emulators to test things at lower fidelity in advance. - JF

Has everyone caught up on their sleep yet?

Not just yet. The USS Portland, our Artemis I recovery ship, just arrived back to Naval Base San Diego, and the recovery team is looking forward to some much deserved rest and relaxation. - CR & MZ

What food can be grown on the moon?

Eventually, possibly anything that we can grow relatively easily on Earth may be able to be grown on the Moon.

At first, I imagine it will have to be plants and crops that are fairly robust, don't require too much water, are not too large, and don't require too large of an area to grow. Those are the kinds of plants and crops that we are currently testing out on the International Space Station.

Eventually, since there's more "land" on the lunar surface, it may be possible to grow plants/crops that are grown across larger areas on Earth. -SB

Are you bringing any robotics? If so what for? Also are you bringing machinery to turn moon dust into water? I’d love to see actual testing of that on the lunar surface

Before we turn moon dust into water, we need to learn more about the resources on the Moon.

To help us with that, we are sending a rover called VIPER (the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) to the south polar region in 2024 that will explore for volatiles, including water, and even dip into permanently shadowed regions and drill down to help us understand where and what volatiles are present, which will help us answer important science questions, and also help us understand if and how we can use those resources.

Learn more about VIPER here: https://www.nasa.gov/viper - SN

Question for Michelle, is the Orion program able to support a 2 per year flight rate of Orion with current infrastructure or would additional investment from LM and NASA be required?

Two flights per year is not part of the current manifest planning. The current manifest has roughly one flight per year starting after Artemis II, so yes, anything more than that would require additional funding. -MZ

What advice would you give to an engineering student who wants to eventually work for NASA on future lunar missions?

Do what is in front of you, and do it well. Follow your passions, but be ready to roll with the ups and downs of your schooling and career and keep striving to do good work, and learn to communicate effectively. -JB

If you are interested in a career at NASA, I would seek out internship opportunities to gain as much experience as you can and figure out what field you're really interested in. Follow your passion to find your place. -CR & MZ

First, congratulations to all of you. I am curious about what energy sources are going to be used (besides solar), and how it is going to get to the moon. Will some be manufactured on the moon?

Bonus question: Are there going to be aerial vehicles for transport around the moon's surface?

Thanks! There are lots of propulsion energy sources -- chemical, electric, solar sails, solar-thermal, nuclear, and so on. In engineering, we determine the sources based on the specific mission needs.

For instance, we will always (probably) use chemical propulsion to get to orbit. This is because of energy density with thrust-to-weight ratio having to be greater than one. Once in orbit or beyond, there are so many cool choices. We will be looking at all of this for the future.

And, I sure hope we find a way to fly on the Moon! -JB

Were there any cool/big scientific surprises or answer you got during Artemis 1?

I am really looking forward to seeing what results we get from our many science experiments on Artemis I! The BioExperiment-01 science experiment just returned in Orion this past Sunday, and our researchers will take the samples back to their labs and will study the results over the next 6-12 months.

So, stay tuned to hear what we learn from these in the future! Thanks for asking. -SB

Why is there such a complicated process for developing and using the future lunar lander?

SpaceX is developing the lander and the lander itself with travel separately to lunar orbit? Once in orbit it will link up with the command module of Orion III?

Also the fact SpaceX plans to refuel the modular in earth obit before it travels to the moon?

What forced Orion to only travel with the command module and not the full package like the Apollo missions?

Landing on the Moon is difficult, especially on the South Pole and keeping humans safe on these types of trips is hard too.

We have to make sure that the environmental controls are comprehensive but as light as possible. We have to make sure hardware is highly reliable. The lighting angles on the South Pole vary widely, so we have to develop a sensor suite to track the terrain and ensure a safe landing.

For Artemis III, the SpaceX lander will dock with Orion in our unique lunar orbit. What will dock is the Orion (which is attached to the European Service Module) and the human landing system. -JF

So it’s said that Artemis is paving the way to get the first human on Mars, how exactly are we going to get from going to the moon to Mars? And do you plan on using more efficient rockets in the future such as the SpaceX starship?

We will be testing systems and learning with humans to understand partial gravity while we are close to home on the Moon before we use them on Mars. -JF

I’m interested in diversity and inclusion in STEM in schools in UK . At NASA . Who were the leading women on this amazing achievement ?

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson was the Artemis I launch director and Melissa Jones was the landing and recovery director. But beyond them, there are many other amazing women who make up our teams across Artemis. -CR