NASA Says It's Satisfied With Rehearsal for SLS Moon Rocket Launch - by b0yle
Mission managers had hoped to get as far into the countdown as the engine start sequence at T-minus-9.34 seconds. But during this week’s rehearsal, launch controllers encountered a hydrogen leak in a quick-disconnect attachment that’s part of the fueling system. The team tried to fix the leak by warming up the attachment, and then cooling it back down to realign a seal, but the fix didn’t work. In the end, the count was stopped at T-minus-29 seconds.
Even though the rehearsal at Launch Complex 39B ended slightly earlier than originally planned, NASA officials said they were satisfied with the objectives that were achieved — including practicing the procedure for unloading propellant from the rocket.
Over the next few days, engineers will conduct some follow-up tests at the launch pad, including a checkout of the booster hydraulic power unit that would have come into play just after T-minus-29 seconds. NASA plans to roll the 3.5 million-pound rocket back to Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in a week. Once it’s back inside the VAB, engineers will replace a seal on the troublesome quick-disconnect attachment.
The SLS and its Orion space capsule are slated to be brought back to Launch Complex 39B in late August, kicking off the final stage of preparations for the Artemis 1 mission. NASA said it would set a specific target launch date after the hardware associated with the hydrogen leak is replaced. The firstArtemis 1 calls for sending the uncrewed Orion capsule on a flight that would go into lunar orbit and return to Earth.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NASA carries out its first-ever rocket launch outside of USNASA's first-ever launch from a commercial site outside of the US blasts off from Australia's Outback in a 'historic' moment for the country's space industry
Read more »
Virgin Orbit readies for its first night-time rocket launch | Digital TrendsVirginOrbit is gearing up for Wednesday's Straight Up mission as it seeks to take on the likes of SpaceX and Rocket Lab for small-satellite deployments.
Read more »
Fall Guys Reaches 20 Million Players After Free-to-Play LaunchIn case you somehow missed it, Fall Guys officially became a free-to-play video game as of June [...]
Read more »
Apple reported to launch new HomePod next year with a bunch of improvementsApple is reportedly gearing up to launch a new full-sized HomePod with an updated screen as early as next year...
Read more »
Maria Shriver and Patrick Schwarzenegger launch brain health brandMaria Shriver and Patrick Schwarzenegger are on a mission to educate you on your brain health.
Read more »
NASA to Cover Northrop Grumman Cygnus Departure from Space StationNorthrop Grumman’s uncrewed Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 28, more than four months after delivering 8,300 pounds of supplies, scientific investigations, commercial products, hardware, and other cargo to the orbiting laboratory for NASA.
Read more »