The NASA-developed flight software for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) vehicle successfully flew the program’s first launch on the Artemis I mission on Nov. 16. The vehicle’s Integrated Avionics and Software conducted the final countdown and first eight minutes of launch, commanding the Core Stage, RS-25 engines, and Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) to orbital insertion.
The launch-to-orbit insertion was nominal, and no faults were seen with vehicle hardware or software during real-time quick looks and initial post-launch data evaluation. The flight software team will incorporate any lessons learned from a longer, more detailed performance review, and the team is already testing new releases that will fly on Artemis II and eventually —with the new Block 1B vehicle — on Artemis IV.