Fast Facts
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Technicians from NASA and Lockheed Martin successfully attached jettison fairing panels to the Orion spacecraft’s service module on March 19, 2025, at Kennedy Space Center.
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The European-built service module, equipped with solar array wings, will provide propulsion, power, and life support for the Artemis II mission, NASA’s first crewed flight under the Artemis program.
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The fairing panels will protect the solar arrays during launch and ascent and will separate once the spacecraft is above the atmosphere, allowing the arrays to unfurl.
- The Artemis campaign aims to explore the Moon for scientific and economic benefits, laying the groundwork for future crewed missions to Mars.
NASA has achieved a key milestone for its Artemis II mission. Technicians with NASA and Lockheed Martin successfully fitted three spacecraft adapter jettison fairing panels onto the Orion service module. This operation occurred on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The European-built service module serves as the powerhouse for the Orion spacecraft. Importantly, it will help propel the mission to the Moon. Earlier in March, the team installed four solar array wings onto the module’s exterior. The recent addition of fairing panels protects these wings from the harsh conditions of launch. Furthermore, these panels help redistribute the load from the powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket during liftoff.
Once the spacecraft reaches space, the three fairing panels will separate, allowing the solar wings to unfurl. Alongside power, the service module provides propulsion and life support. It includes essential systems for thermal control, air, and water, supporting the crew on their journey.
Artemis II marks NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program. It will send astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, including NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Through the Artemis campaign, NASA plans to explore the Moon for scientific discovery and economic development. This mission will lay the groundwork for sending humans to Mars in the future. By advancing technology and fostering international collaboration, NASA aims to benefit all of humanity through these historic missions.
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