NASA’s moon rocket could launch as soon as August this year

There is a chance that the Space Launch System can be launched for the first time this summer. The wet dress rehearsal that the rocket recently completed still requires some tweaking before it can be launched.

After a number of attempts, the wet dress rehearsal was a success on Monday, June 20. The team had to make some changes to the test in order to get the rocket through it, but they were able to call off the real launch. Engineers will be able to replace the hardware that caused the leak by returning the rocket to its temporary home.

NASA has been positive about the progress in getting the rocket ready for launch despite the issues.

Our teams have become proficient in launch procedures across multiple sites as a result of the wet dress rehearsal activities. Tom Whitmeyer, deputy associate administrator for common exploration systems at NASA headquarters, said in a statement that everything they have learned will improve their ability to lift off during the target launch window. The team is ready to start preparing for the launch.

The uncrewed mission Artemis I around the moon will be used to prepare the SLS rocket for a crewed moon mission. According to space.com, the plan before the wet dress rehearsal was for the launch to occur during a launch window opening in August 2022.

The Artemis I mission will be announced by NASA once it has returned the rocket to the VAB and replaced the hardware that caused the leak.

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