TechnologyNASA delays dress rehearsal of new megarocket

NASA delays dress rehearsal of new megarocket


Today, NASA suspended the last major test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket after pressurization issues prevented technicians from safely loading propellants into the rocket. The test — known as a wet dress rehearsal — has been postponed until Monday, April 4th at the earliest, NASA announced in a post on the Artemis I live blog.

“Teams have decided to scrub tanking operations for the wet dress rehearsal due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher,” NASA explained. Some fans on the mobile launcher — the platform that provides support for the rocket up until launch — were unable to maintain positive pressure, which is crucial in warding off hazardous gases. As a result, NASA technicians couldn’t “safely proceed” with the fuel-loading process.

This type of dress rehearsal gets its “wet” label since it’s essentially a run-through of all the procedures NASA will have to carry out when the first actual launch of SLS takes place, including filling the 322-foot rocket with 700,000 gallons of propellant. In a press conference on Sunday evening, NASA said its team is currently on the launchpad attempting to troubleshoot the issue. The agency says it’s on track to resume the wet dress rehearsal tomorrow.

The test originally began on April 1st at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and was supposed to wrap up on Sunday. NASA encountered some rough weather Saturday night, as lightning struck the towers around the SLS’s launchpad. Jeremy Parsons, the deputy program manager at NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems, said one of these strikes was one of the strongest NASA has seen since installing the lightning protection system. “It hit the catenary wire that runs between the 3 towers,” Parsons wrote in a tweet from the EGS Twitter account. “System performed extremely well & kept SLS and Orion safe.”

The SLS is supposed to carry the Orion spacecraft on an uncrewed mission around the Moon as part of the Artemis program, a flight called Artemis I. That mission, tentatively scheduled for this summer, is supposed to get the rocket — and NASA — ready for the mission that will eventually carry humans to the lunar surface.

You can keep checking back for updates on the test on NASA’s live blog, as well as on the agency’s Twitter.





Source link

Latest News

“The Digital Fourth Amendment,” Now Shipping

I'm pleased to say that my new book, The Digital Fourth Amendment, is now available for shipping at...

Astronomers discover ‘Quipu’, the single largest structure in the known universe

Astronomers have discovered what may be the largest-scale structure in the known universe — a group of galaxy...

Handmade Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids: Simple Ideas for Sweet Home Décor

Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate love for one another. It’s a great opportunity to let...

How Much Money He Makes in 2024 – Hollywood Life

Bill Belichick has continued to make headlines for his personal life, particularly with his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who is 48 years...

Must Read

- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you