After postponing testing of its next- generation Space Launch System, NASA is ready to try again. On June 6th, technicians at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will begin rolling out the spaceship from the vehicle assembly building. It will take approximately eight to 12 hours for NASA to transport Artemis 1 along the four mile road to Launch Pad 39B, with the agency planning to stream part of the event on YouTube.
The overnight roll out is a concession towards utility. It is possible for NASA to avoid subjecting the vehicle to the hot and humid daytime weather by moving it at night. NASA plans to restart the rocket's "wet dress rehearsal" on June 19th once Artemis 1 returns. The Artemis 1 mission is expected to get underway later this year.
NASA attempted to complete a modified version of the trial on April 14th after a hydrogen leak was discovered in the SLS mobile launch tower. NASA decided to return the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building in order to fix the issues that came up in its previous test attempts and give a critical gaseous nitrogen supplier time to complete capacity upgrades.
The June 19th trial will take about 48 hours to complete. The earliest Artemis 1 could launch is on July 26th, though it is among dozens of potential launch dates NASA has plotted out between now and the end of 2022, with more dates available next year.
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