KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — NASA has set the date when it will conduct a fueling test for its Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft that will take four people to the moon.
What You Need To Know
- Artemis II will see four astronauts flyby the moon
- A wet dress rehearsal simulates the launch of the Artemis II moon rocket
- If an issue is discovered, it may push back the launch
The U.S. space agency is considering Saturday, Jan. 31, as the earliest date for its wet dress rehearsal, which will simulate the launch of the Artemis II moon rocket.
“The upcoming wet dress rehearsal is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket. During the rehearsal, teams demonstrate the ability to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a launch countdown, and practice safely removing propellant from the rocket without astronauts inside the spacecraft,” stated NASA in a blog.
There will be several test runs of this simulated launch that will test the Artemis II team’s ability to put a hold on the launch and resume it.
“The rehearsal will count down to a simulated launch at 9 p.m. EST, but could run to approximately 1 a.m. if needed. The first run will begin approximately 49 hours before launch when launch teams are called to their stations, to 1 minute 30 seconds before launch, followed by a planned three-minute hold and then countdown resumption to 33 seconds before launch — the point at which the rocket’s automatic launch sequencer will control the final seconds of the countdown,” explained NASA.
If the team detects any issues or anomalies with either the rocket or capsule, the two craft will be rolled from their home on Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building for work. They were rolled to the launch pad on Saturday, Jan. 17.
This would also push back the launch if they are rolled back. At the moment, NASA is aiming for a Friday, Feb. 06, launch.
NASA also addressed the cold snap that has attacked the Sunshine State this week.
“With cold weather sweeping the country and lower than normal temperatures expected in Florida Tuesday, Jan. 27, technicians are taking steps to ensure environmental control systems keeping Orion and SLS elements at the proper conditions are prepared for the cold,” the American space agency stated.
NASA also revealed that the Artemis II emergency egress system (where baskets will take crew and launch pad personnel from the mobile launcher to the ground) did not work as expected, but has been resolved.
“… the baskets used to transport the crew and other pad personnel from the mobile launcher in an emergency stopped short of the terminus area located inside the pad perimeter. Since then, the brakes of the system have been adjusted to ensure the baskets fully descend,” NASA commented.
Artemis II will see four people — NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen — go to the moon for a flyby mission.
The first Artemis I mission in 2022, where the uncrewed rocket and capsule were tested, saw a number of delays.
It was originally expected to launch on Aug. 29, 2022, but a liquid hydrogen leak and temperature issues with the engine forced the first attempt to be scrubbed.
A second attempt was scrubbed as a separate liquid hydrogen leak was discovered.
After other issues and two hurricanes, NASA was not able to launch Artemis I until November of that year.
It is not uncommon for rockets, even established ones like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, to be sent back for repairs or adjustments after testing has shown that issues were detected.
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