The Artemis I mission will take off to the Moon on the most powerful rocket ever built the Space Launch System. Rockets help us break the chains of Earth’s gravity and capture the human imagination unlike anything else.
 
This week, we're inspiring the Artemis Generation with the rocket science that will power the Artemis I mission.

Artemis I will be the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and the ground systems at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With this first exploration mission, NASA is leading the next steps of human exploration into deep space.

While Apollo placed the first steps on the Moon, Artemis opens the door for humanity to sustainably work and live on another world for the first time. Using the lunar surface as a proving ground for living on Mars, the next chapter in exploration will forever establish our presence in the stars. Actress Kelly Marie Tran of “Stars Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” narrates.

Rocket fins help keep a rocket stable during flight. But which fin configuration is most effective? Students are challenged to use the engineering design process to find out.

See the Attend section below for a live session to help implement this activity! 

Explore this detailed mission map to follow the path of Artemis I from launch to landing.

Click on labeled parts of the SLS rocket to learn more.

NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket will launch NASA’s Artemis missions and its astronauts to the Moon.

But how does a rocket fly?

Hosting an after-school program, summer camp, STEM night, or workshop?

This set of four hands-on activities is sure to bring the excitement of returning to the Moon to your young explorers.

Join us on Wednesday, May 4 at 7 p.m. EDT, to learn how to bring the excitement of rocket science to your classrooms with hands-on activities and pedagogical recommendations. The hands-on activity highlighted in this session challenges students to use the engineering design process to hone a foam rocket design.

A companion student session will be held the following day, Thursday, May 5, at 10 a.m. EDT.
Looking for a quick math challenge?

Check out this standards-aligned exercise that helps students learn about the range of distances the Space Launch System rocket can cover at travel speed.

Want to get the latest NASA STEM opportunities delivered to your inbox each Thursday? Sign up for the NASA EXPRESS newsletter at https://www.nasa.gov/stem/express.
 
Are you looking for NASA STEM materials to support your curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at https://www.nasa.gov/education/materials/.
Visit NASA STEM Engagement on the Web: 
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement: https://stem.nasa.gov
NASA's Join Artemis Website: https://stem.nasa.gov/artemis/
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub