NASA can have a 3rd go at conducting a launchpad take a look at of its next-generation moon rocket on the Kennedy Area Middle in Florida on Saturday, April 9.
That is regardless of the emergence of one other technical problem that NASA is now working to resolve.
Two earlier makes an attempt over the previous week to start the so-called “moist gown rehearsal” have been referred to as off as a result of discovery of technical issues, the primary one as a result of a fan problem linked to the rocket’s cellular launcher, and the second as a result of a caught valve on floor gear on the pad.
On Thursday, NASA reported the invention of one other problem, this time relating to helium purge strain on the higher stage engine. After a troubleshooting course of, engineers managed to determine regular helium purge, however they’re persevering with to analyze what brought on the difficulty.
All being nicely, the two-day moist gown rehearsal will start on the Kennedy Area Middle on Saturday at 2:40 p.m. ET.
The train will contain NASA engineers filling the highly effective Area Launch System (SLS) rocket with gas earlier than conducting a mock countdown.
If all goes to plan and no extra technical points seem, NASA will be capable to put together for the primary launch of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, hopefully within the subsequent couple of months.
The uncrewed Artemis I mission will ship Orion on a fly-by of the moon in a complete take a look at of its spaceflight techniques. Artemis II will fly the identical route however with a crew on board, whereas the extremely anticipated Artemis III mission, at present slated for no sooner than 2024, will put the primary lady and first particular person of coloration on the lunar floor.
It appears like NASA must catch a break with the long-awaited launchpad take a look at of its next-generation rocket. Alongside the technical problems with latest days, the date for the primary take a look at try additionally needed to be rescheduled after 4 lightning strikes hit the launchpad’s lightning towers.
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