The SLS megarocket will be tested on June 19 in a crucial fueling test.
SLS will make its debut on the upcoming Artemis 1 mission, which will send an uncrewed capsule on a journey around the moon. Before Artemis 1 can lift off, it needs to complete a series of prelaunch tests known as the wet dress rehearsal.
In a call with reporters on Friday afternoon, NASA officials announced that they plan to start rolling the Artemis 1 out from the huge Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to Launch Pad 39B at around midnight.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission explained in photos
Artemis 1 will not be its first roll out. The first run at the Artemis 1 wet dress began two weeks after the moon rocket rolled out from the VAB. NASA officials said they expect to begin the roughly 48 hours of wet dress on June 19.
There were several technical problems at the pad during last month's wet dress, including a stuck valve and a hydrogen leak in one of the lines connecting the SLS to its mobile launch tower. The Artemis 1 team tried to fuel the SLS three times but ended up scrubbing the wet dress and rolling the Artemis 1 stack back into the VAB for repairs on April 25.
Several fixes were outlined by NASA officials. It was found that bolts inadvertently loosened, compromising the seal.
John Blevins is the chief engineer for the SLS program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
We had tightened those down previously, and hadn't done a Torque check over the period of time that those seals have been there. Artemis 1 team members have taken steps to prevent leaking, according to Blevins.
The SLS upper stage, which is called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, had a check valve replaced. Modifications were made to the ICPS umbilical boots, which are involved in the quickDisconnect between SLS and the mobile launch tower during liftoff. NASA officials said that additional leak detectors were added to the system responsible for handling liquid hydrogen.
Some of the Artemis 1 work that NASA has begun ahead of schedule was highlighted by the senior vehicle operations manager for the exploration ground systems program. The ground system plates have been replaced with flight plates to cover the vehicle's instrumentation, for instance. The adjustment will give the vehicle better protection from the weather in Florida, especially during the summer months.
Pad 39B received some needed upgrades while the SLS was undergoing maintenance. The SLS wet dress rehearsal requires fueling and draining the rocket of propellant to make it look like the procedures leading up to an actual launch. Pad 39B was able to receive a capacity boost over the past few weeks, thanks to the use of gaseous nitrogen at the pad.
NASA requires a proportional amount of commodities for the vehicle that requires gaseous nitrogen.
The increased capacity will allow SLS to undergo more extensive checks at the launch pad, including a 32-hour test-run of the nitrogen system to simulating consumption for the rocket during launch, as well as the ground systems and avionics.
The vehicle itself is straightforward, but you have to take a step at a time.
The Artemis 1 team can start preparing for an actual liftoff if the wet dress goes well. NASA officials have said that they are aiming to launch Artemis 1 this August, though they won't set an official target date until the wet dress is complete and all data have been analyzed.
We encourage you to follow us on social media.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
