(ORDO NEWS) — On Monday morning, NASA canceled its first attempt to launch its historic Artemis 1 mission due to an engine leak that is still under investigation.
If you somehow missed the news, humans are finally planning to return to the moon.
We are still far from the first modern crewed mission to our planet’s satellite. But Monday morning’s planned launch attempt was to be the first real test of the rocket designed to take us there.
Unfortunately, the launch has been pushed back a few minutes into the launch window of 08:36 AM EST (12:54 PM). UTC) on Monday, August 29 due to bleeding the engine, which did not show the correct temperature during testing.
The missile is in a stable configuration and the team will leave it partially fueled for more testing. .
The earliest opportunity for the next launch will be at 12:48 pm EDT (16:48 UTC) on Friday, September 2, but this is subject to the results of ongoing testing of the engine priming system.
About an hour before the scheduled two-hour launch window, the countdown unexpectedly slowed down by T-40 minutes.
The problem arose during refueling when liquid hydrogen began to leak from the engine.
A similar fuel leak issue has been found in previous tests, but it’s not clear if it’s the same problem this time around.
Artemis I launch is no longer happening today as the teams are working on an engine bleed issue.
The teams will continue to collect data and we will keep you posted on the timing of the next launch attempt.
Rachel Kraft explains more on the NASA Artemis blog:
“While liquid oxygen loading into the intermediate cryogenic propulsion stage continues and the main stage tanks continue to be replenished with fuel, engineers are fixing an air conditioning problem with one of the RS-25 engines. engines (engine 3) at the bottom of the main stage.
Launch controllers condition the engines by pressurizing the main stage tanks to bleed some of the cryogenic fuel into the engines to bring them up to temperature. range to run them.
Engine 3 is not properly trained during the bleeding process and the engineers are troubleshooting.
The teams also evaluate the presence of a crack in the thermal protection. system material on one of the flanges on the main stage.
Flanges are connecting joints that function like a seam on a shirt, attached at the top and bottom of an intermediate tank so that two tanks can be attached to it.
Known as the Artemis 1 mission, this is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions designed to take humans to the moon for the first time since December 1972.
The new space launch system being used is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever launched, and it will not only go to the Moon – farther than any spacecraft built for humans – but also deploy several small satellites.
On board the Orion Crew Capsule will be a slightly odd mixture of mannequins, artifacts, souvenirs, and weightless indicators.
The goal is to practice handling the spacecraft and test crew conditions to make sure the spacecraft is safe for the future crew.
In 2024, NASA plans to launch Artemis 2, the first manned Artemis mission to space using an even more powerful version of the Space Launch System rocket (assuming spacesuits are ready).
Artemis 3 is scheduled for 2025 and will land the first woman and the first person of color near the south pole of the moon.
In 2027, the Artemis 4 mission will take astronauts to the Gateway mini-lunar station.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.