After reaching its launch pad, history repeats itself for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission and its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. On April 4, a first launch attempt was canceled and the new attempt on April 14 was not more conclusive. As reported Ars-Technicavarious technical issues were identified during the exercise process.
A leak and supply problems
The launch exercises, carried out at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, began in March. For the moment, the aim of the tests is to carry out the entire launch procedure up to the ten seconds preceding takeoff. SLS, considered the largest rocket in the world with its 117 meters in height, was to leave for the Moon in June 2022. Unfortunately, the Artemis program has a series of setbacks. The mission’s budget was only very recently approved by the American Congress, to the tune of 24.04 billion dollars.
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The test of April 14 brought its share of inconveniences. Attempts to refuel failed due to a problem with the thruster refueling system. A faulty valve at the top of the rocket will have to be replaced and the nitrogen gas refueling system will be improved. This last chemical element is used to evacuate all traces of oxygen in the tanks before filling and to ensure that the environment is non-flammable, as specified by our colleagues from Wired.
A leak was also spotted on the launch tower, only allowing the liquid oxygen tank to be filled to 49% and the one containing liquid hydrogen to only 5%. The rocket can therefore not yet be fully refueled or fully pressurized.
The SLS launch vehicle on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photography: NASA/Joel Kowsky.
NASA opens multiple launch windows this summer
According to NASA and mission director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, these repairs will take the entire month of May. According to the most optimistic estimates, reported by the media Gizmodo, the rocket could still take off during three launch windows: between June 1 and 16, June 29 and July 17 or even from July 26 to August 9, times during which the Earth-Moon alignment is the most optimal. . A takeoff during the fall is not to be excluded and seems more probable to guarantee the success of the mission.
SLS will be brought back to its assembly site to guarantee the best maintenance conditions. Charlie Black-Thompson still wants to be very optimistic, ” NASA is doing its best to resolve the issues. I couldn’t be more proud of our team “, she explained during a press conference.
It is the most expensive rocket to date, at around $2 billion per launch. This is one of the reasons why NASA does not want to take any risks, even if it means pushing back the launch again and again. This is the first time since 1972 and the Apollo 17 mission that NASA aims to return to the Moon. Artemis 1 will however not be a manned mission, it will be necessary to wait for the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2025, for the Man and very probably at least one woman, to leave his footprints again on the lunar soil.