Mission to the Moon | David Saint-Jacques optimistic for Artemis

Quebec astronaut David Saint-Jacques will know within a year if it is he who will orbit the Moon with the Artemis II mission. The postponements of the launch of Artemis I, now scheduled for November 14, do not worry him.

Mathieu Perreault
The Press

“It’s really a test flight that we have to do publicly,” said the 52-year-old doctor and astrophysicist in an interview Friday as he returned from Houston, where he underwent medical tests. “That we still find problems to solve before launching is good news, it’s because we really look at all the systems. »

Artemis I was scheduled to leave on August 27, but a hydrogen leak and then another problem postponed the launch to September 3. A new hydrogen leak pushed the launch even further to late September, as the hurricane Ian forced NASA to put the rocket away.

The first mission ofArtemis I is uninhabited and should last about forty days, to test all systems in lunar orbit. Artemis II will remain in orbit around the Moon, with four astronauts on board, including two Americans and a Canadian, whose identity is unknown.

When will the Canadian astronaut be chosen? “For the moment, we are dealing with Artemis I,” said M. Saint-Jacques. After the mission, we will analyze all the data to see what needs to be changed for Artemis II. »

Artemis II in preparation

The preparation of Artemis II, which should last two years, has nevertheless already begun, nuance Mr. Saint-Jacques. Artemis II was scheduled for 2024, but Artemis I launch delays mean it will likely take place no sooner than early 2025. He estimates it will take around a year of preparation to train the crew, which involves a selection of astronauts by the end of 2023.

Hydrogen leaks already existed with the space shuttle program, whose rockets were reused for the Artemis program. How is it that we have not succeeded in 40 years in solving this problem? “There were modifications to the rockets for Artemis, answers Mr. Saint-Jacques. Adjustments have to be made. We have seen that if we injected hydrogen with less pressure, for example, there were fewer leaks. There are also adjustments to be made with temperature. »

Liquid hydrogen is injected at a temperature of -250°C, close to absolute zero, into a valve 20 cm in diameter, the equivalent of the orifice where gasoline is put in a car.

sources of inspiration

What are the first lunar memories of David Saint-Jacques? “I was in my mother’s womb when Apollo 11 happened. My parents told me about it. I remember reading We walked on the moon of Tintin, I did not understand what was happening. It was only by seeing photos of the Earth taken from the Moon that I understood, around 5 or 6 years old. »

What are his favorite lunar films or series? “The one I like best is For All Mankind, a documentary from the 1980s with archival footage. I also like very much first-manthe film about Neil Armstrong, and the HBO series From the Earth to the Moon. These are all works where we talk about the psychology of space exploration. I guess it’s because I’m pretty sure we understand the technical side. »