Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem: The movement remains committed to implementing the ceasefire agreement through the handover of another Israeli captive’s body earlier this evening
Al-Arida to Al Mayadeen: We were deprived of all means of communication, and we were isolated from the other detainees so as not to receive any piece of information
Freed prisoner and leader of Operation Freedom Tunnel, Mahmoud al-Arida, to Al Mayadeen: Were it not for the pro-Resistance media, the situation of the isolated detainees would have been catastrophic
Iranian Foreign Ministry: The sanctions reinstated by the E3 are non-binding, and we deem them illegal
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Iran, Russia, and China will send a letter to the United Nations and the Security Council tomorrow confirming the expiration of Resolution 2231 and the end of sanctions
Local Afghan sources: Pakistani airstrikes hit the Arghun district of Paktika province, southeastern Afghanistan, after the ceasefire expired
Hamad to Al Mayadeen: We will return the bodies and abide by the agreement we approved, but what is happening now is an attempt by "Israel" to exert more pressure
Hamad to Al Mayadeen: The issue of the [Israeli] bodies is complex and requires time, especially since the occupation changed the features of Gaza, which we explained to the mediators
Hamad to Al Mayadeen: The occupation has been unable to achieve its objectives in the Gaza Strip, so we are not surprised that it is employing the barbaric way
Hamas Political Bureau member Ghazi Hamad to Al Mayadeen: "Israel" threatens with force, which is not a strange thing for it. For our part, we are committed to the agreement that "Israel" violates daily

NASA's mega Moon rocket to begin tests

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 18 Mar 2022 10:57
3 Min Read

A number of tests will be conducted on the rocket on Thursday in order to ensure it is ready to blast off to the Moon in the summer.

  • x
  • NASA's mega Moon rocket introduced
    NASA's mega Moon rocket (NASA)

Nearly 10,000 people gathered on Thursday as NASA's enormous new rocket started its maiden visit to a launchpad in preparation for a battery of tests that will allow it to blast off to the Moon this summer.

It departed the Vehicle Assembly Building at 5:47 pm Eastern Time (2147 GMT) and began an 11-hour voyage on a crawler-transporter to the hallowed Launch Complex 39B, four miles (6.5 kilometers) away.

With the Orion crew capsule attached to the top, the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 stands 322 feet (98 meters) tall – higher than the Statue of Liberty.

Despite this, it will deliver 8.8 million pounds of maximum thrust (39.1 Meganewtons), 15% more than the Saturn V, making it the world's most powerful rocket when it launches.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson called the rocket the world's most powerful, as he spoke to a crowd, adding, "We imagine, we build, we never stop pushing the envelope of what is possible." 

$4.1 billion of power

The rocket comes at a high cost: $4.1 billion per launch for the first four Artemis missions, according to NASA Inspector General Paul Martin, who testified before Congress last month.

After arriving at the launchpad, there are typically two weeks of inspections before the "wet dress rehearsal."

Related News

China mulls lunar nuclear power plant for Moon base energy

China lands on moon's far side in historic sample-retrieval mission

Artemis-1, an uncrewed lunar mission that will be the first combined flight for SLS and Orion, is set to launch in May, according to NASA.

SLS will first place Orion in low Earth orbit before performing a trans-lunar injection with its upper stage.

This maneuver is required to take Orion 280,000 miles beyond Earth and 40,000 miles beyond the Moon, which is the furthest any spaceship capable of transporting people has traveled.

Orion will release ten shoebox-sized satellites known as CubeSats during its three-week mission to collect data on the deep space environment.

Three mannequins recording radiation data and a plush Snoopy doll, long a NASA icon, will be among its "passengers".

It will journey around the far side of the Moon using thrust provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) thruster and finally make its way back to Earth, where its heat shield will be tested against the atmosphere.

SLS is referred to by NASA as a "super heavy lift exploration class vehicle." The only operating super-heavy rocket at the moment is SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which is smaller.

Elon Musk's business is also working on its own deep-space rocket, the totally reusable Starship, which he says will be ready for orbital testing this year.

Direct comparisons are hampered by the fact that, whereas SLS is meant to travel directly to its targets, SpaceX envisions launching a Starship into orbit and then refueling it with another Starship to enhance range and cargo.

NASA has also contracted with Starship to build a lunar descent vehicle for Artemis.

Blue Origin's New Glenn, China's Long March 9, and Russia's Yenisei are among the other super-heavy rockets in development.

  • Moon
  • NASA

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
The bodies of deceased Palestinians, held by Israel during the war, lie in plastic bags on the floor of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following their release, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' returns 30 Palestinian bodies; some bear marks of torture

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of war debris as crisis deepens
Politics

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of debris, 20,000 lingering UXOs

Ex-White House adviser Ashley Tellis charged over secret files
Politics

Ex-White House advisor accused of amassing troves of top secret files

An Israeli soldier rests by a mobile artillery unit at a gathering point on the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern “Israel”, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Global arms bans isolate 'Israel', yet its war machine keeps running

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS