NASA’s return to the moon via Artemis 1 was scrapped on September 3 due to a hydrogen leakbut the agency was busy repairing megarocket for its next launch. Now, after days of repair and diagnostics, NASA speak The next Artemis 1 launch could come as early as Friday, September 23, or a few days later on Tuesday, September 27.
For now, the upcoming Artemis 1 launch effort is tentative, waiting for further repaircheck and approve for the next launch window at the Kennedy Space Center. But according to SpaceNASA has to work hard over the next few days to even try to get Artemis 1 off the ground.
After the official launch was postponed last SaturdayNASA technicians built a protective cover on Launch Pad 39B, where the Artemis 1 has sat since August. The temporary cover helps protect the rocket’s hardware and is a place for NASA engineers to stay. carry out on-site repair.
Engineers began the repair by disconnecting the ground plates and rocket side of the interface where the leak was found. The leak that underpinned the launch was due to one of the Artemis 1’s quick disconnects. Specifically the interface for the liquid hydrogen fuel line.
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Another, smaller leak has persistently plagued the Artemis 1 since late August, and NASA is fixing both leaks ahead of the next launch. Engineers have been running tests on the quick disconnect interface and are currently replacing two seals — “one surrounding the 8-inch line used to fill and drain liquid hydrogen from the core stage, and another surrounding the 4-inch bleed line used to redirect some of the propellant during tanking operations,” per NASA.
The good news is that the leaks are the main things to address, and, of course test prior to launch: NASA plans on testing the new seals on September 17. All of this will take place at the Artemis 1’s launch pad, and the rest of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft — which will eventually house astronauts who will land on the moon — are in good condition, otherwise.
But the U.S. Space Force says NASA has to test the SLS’s flight termination system periodically, and its previous certification expires soon. The FTS is basically NASA’s last resort in case of emergency, which destroys the rocket if it veers off-course during launch. The failsafe has to be tested and (re)certified at the Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building every 25 days.
If the Artemis 1 has to be restored to the VAB for certification, the launch will be delayed into October. NASA is currently asking for the Eastern Strip of the Space Force – which includes the Kennedy Space Center – to waive an extension of the allowed number of days in the period. FTS certified time from 25.
The East Range has granted NASA an exemption to extend the allowed number of days from 20 to 25, so it’s unclear if NASA will receive an exemption for Artemis 1 launching later this month. If so, Artemis 1 will attempt to restart on September 23 at 6:47 a.m. EDT or September 27 at 11:37 a.m. EDT.
