Previously NASA thought the next SLS launch was likely to take place in October, but the attempt was eventually scrapped after NASA decided to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to avoid the storm. NASA successfully secured the rocket on Tuesday after making the huge rocket’s slow trek through orbit to the VAB that lasted several hours.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane but had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it reached Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, and NASA said there was “no damage to Artemis flight hardware” and its facilities suffered only “minor water intrusion.

NASA’s Artemis I launch will send an unmanned Orion capsule on a trip around the moon, paving the way for a future mission that will land the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. The agency’s first launch attempt was cut short after the rocket encountered engine problems, while a second launch was marred by a leak while engineers were loading the rocket with frozen liquid hydrogen fuel. Subsequent tests of the rocket’s fuel system showed that the leak was still present but at a more “manageable” level.

Now that the rocket is back at the VAB, NASA said it will “prepare for additional checks” and retest the flight termination system that the Space Force will use to destroy the rocket if it goes off course.

The post NASA Artemis I rocket launch mission delayed until mid-November appeared first on TechGoing.

The four primary objectives of the cryogenic demonstration included evaluating repairs to address hydrogen leaks identified during a previous launch attempt, loading propellant into the rocket’s tanks using a new procedure, performing a startup bleed, and conducting a pre-pressure test.

The new cryogenic loading procedures and ground automation were designed to slowly transition temperatures and pressures during the tank loading process as a way to reduce the potential for leaks due to rapid changes in temperature or pressure. After leaks were encountered early in the operation, the team further reduced the loading pressure to address the issue and continued with demonstration testing. The pre-pressure test allowed engineers to calibrate the settings used to adjust the engine during the terminal count and to verify the schedule prior to launch day to reduce schedule risk during the launch day countdown.

The team will evaluate data from the tests, as well as weather and other factors before they confirm readiness to move on to the next launch opportunity. The SLS rocket remains in a safe configuration while the next steps are evaluated.

Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions. It will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate the commitment and capability to extend the human presence to the Moon and beyond. the primary goals of Artemis I are to thoroughly test integrated systems prior to a manned mission, operate the spacecraft in a deep space environment, test Orion’s heat shield and recover the crew module after return, descent and splashdown.

The post NASA Artemis Moon Launch Vehicle Passes Critical Cryogenic Demonstration Test appeared first on TechGoing.