Last Thursday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced they would be launching the Space Launch System rocket in late August at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This follows their most recent test that revealed a hydrogen leak, cutting the simulated launch short with only 29 seconds to go.
While their fourth test made tremendous progress, they did not quite meet their original objective of making it to T-9.3 seconds where the core stage’s RS-25 engines would fire up. In addition, the team was forced to ignore the hydrogen leak warnings to continue with the test. The launch computer is programmed to stop the countdown immediately upon discovering leaks, which would’ve halted their test.
Despite the complications, they still managed to achieve most of their goal, fully fueling the rocket’s two stages with over 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen. In addition, NASA ultimately announced that the data they gathered from the test was sufficient for them to follow through with their launch in the coming months. Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director, also seemed optimistic. “It was a very successful day, and we accomplished a majority of the objectives that we had not completed in the prior [tests].”
While a date has not been set, the agency announced that they “will set a specific target launch date after replacing hardware associated with the leak.” This will most likely be between August 23rd and September 6th.
This initial launch, Artemis I, will send the Orion capsule in orbit around the moon and will be followed by at least two more launches. Unlike the first launch, Artemis II, scheduled for 2024, will send four astronauts into space. Then, if there are no complications, NASA will send astronauts onto the moon again for the first time in 50 years.
Sources:
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/23/nasa-moon-sls-rcoket-launch/
2. https://www.wired.com/story/nasas-giant-sls-rocket-is-one-step-closer-to-launch/
While their fourth test made tremendous progress, they did not quite meet their original objective of making it to T-9.3 seconds where the core stage’s RS-25 engines would fire up. In addition, the team was forced to ignore the hydrogen leak warnings to continue with the test. The launch computer is programmed to stop the countdown immediately upon discovering leaks, which would’ve halted their test.
Despite the complications, they still managed to achieve most of their goal, fully fueling the rocket’s two stages with over 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen. In addition, NASA ultimately announced that the data they gathered from the test was sufficient for them to follow through with their launch in the coming months. Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the Artemis launch director, also seemed optimistic. “It was a very successful day, and we accomplished a majority of the objectives that we had not completed in the prior [tests].”
While a date has not been set, the agency announced that they “will set a specific target launch date after replacing hardware associated with the leak.” This will most likely be between August 23rd and September 6th.
This initial launch, Artemis I, will send the Orion capsule in orbit around the moon and will be followed by at least two more launches. Unlike the first launch, Artemis II, scheduled for 2024, will send four astronauts into space. Then, if there are no complications, NASA will send astronauts onto the moon again for the first time in 50 years.
Sources:
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/06/23/nasa-moon-sls-rcoket-launch/
2. https://www.wired.com/story/nasas-giant-sls-rocket-is-one-step-closer-to-launch/
