The launch of Artemis I on November 16, 2022, was monumental for several reasons. Not only will it help usher in a new age of exploration, but it will also test the first human-grade spacecraft planned for future exploration since the Apollo program. And now, NASA has made it even easier to track Orion’s first trip to the Moon by giving us all a handy website.
The website, which can be accessed on NASA.gov, offers multiple ways to watch the trip. You can use spacecraft mode, which basically lets you revolve around the spacecraft itself. This is great for seeing exactly where things are on Orion’s first trip. But, if you want a better overview of the trip, you can also use Mission View.
Mission View breaks down the entirety of the trip to the Moon based on important checkpoints and also shows exactly what the spacecraft is on its journey at the moment and time. And, because it’s tracking the spacecraft in real-time, it’s constantly updating to show the progress being made on Orion’s first trip to the Moon.
What’s even cooler about this, though, is that NASA has also provided all the data that is needed for others to create their own tracking apps. This means that you can create a complete physics model, animations, visualization, and tracking application to keep up with Orion’s first trip around the Moon.
This launch is as much a test for the Space Launch System as it is for Orion. With this trip, NASA will be able to see if the Orion capsule is able to withstand the vacuum of space and if the human rating is indeed capable of protecting astronauts in space. If Orion’s first trip to the Moon goes as planned, though, future manned missions to the Moon and even a manned mission to Mars are on the table.
