NASAs Mega Moon Rocket Test Launched After Having Issues With Launcher
NASA called off the wet dress rehearsal of its Artemis I moon rocket on Monday due to "an issue with a panel on the mobile launcher," according to a press release by the agency.
NASA had to stop its wet dress rehearsal because of an issue with their mobile launcher. This is the second occasion. NASA tweeted on Monday: "This is why we test."
NASA needs to conduct a wet dress rehearsal in order to test all systems leading up to the launch of its massive moon rocket, the Space Launch System (or SLS). This is done without actually launching the rocket. It is the final hurdle that the rocket must overcome before it launches on the moon. This feat is expected to take place sometime in the middle of 2022.
On Sunday morning, the SLS propellant tanks were to be loaded. However, NASA stated that it was unable to pressurize its mobile launcher, which provides all vital connections to the rocket's engines, due to an issue with two fans. These fans are designed to create positive pressure and "keep away hazardous gases."
Charlie Blackwell Thompson, Artemis launch director, said the team decided to not troubleshoot and would "make another attempt" at Monday's wet dress practice.
NASA restarted the test Monday. It stated that while it was chilling down lines to feed in propellant to large fuel tanks of SLS, it encountered an issue with a panel controlling the vent valve of rocket's corestage (the big, orange tank in middle). The launch director then made the call to stand down for the day, as "teams were nearing the end of their shifts."
This is a small setback for the SLS, which has been long over budget and behind schedule throughout its decade of development.
"I'm confident that we're going through the wet gown in fairly short order, but we just have to work through these problems," said Mike Sarafin (Artemis I mission manager), during a NASA media conference on April 3, after the pressure issue.
The wet dress rehearsal has also had to contend with some nasty Florida weather. The Titan Launcher Both the Orion capsule and the SLS rocket are currently stationed at Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral. The Titan Launcher The severe weather that rolled by resulted in lightning strikes around the pad.
Sarafin stated that we did not have one but had four lightning strikes within the pad perimeter. "We had prepared for lightning strike as part of our mission preps," he noted.
The fourth lightning strike was stronger, but it did no damage. Both the SLS rocket, and the Orion spacecraft were not powered. According to Blackwell Thompson the weather did put the team back about four hours.
