The moon megarocket is expected to be on the ground in August.
NASA is working towards three "placeholder" launch dates for Artemis 1, an uncrewed test flight around the moon that serves as a keystone in testing for future human missions
Jim Free said that the interim launch dates were not an agency commitment. He said that NASA will announce a more firm commitment about a week before the launch when the agency completes its flight readiness review.
Photos explain NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission.
The team has a plan for the interim dates in August and September. We have a lot of work left of things that we'll have to do and learn from.
Interim approvals on the key systems that are required for launch, flight to the moon and return to Earth are called close-outs. NASA has a list of items to perform on the SLS stack before it leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
NASA decided that Artemis 1's most recent wet dress rehearsal was good enough to go ahead with the launch. During the test, engineers fully fueled SLS for the first time. There was a hydrogen leak from the engine cooling system.
The leak was solved by closing the bleed valve. The team was able to complete the wet dress, but it wouldn't work during a launch because the bleed valve wouldn't be open. Operators ran a software "mask" during the test to allow the countdown to proceed, while allowing the ground launch sequencer to flag the temperature as it is designed to do.
On July 2, the VAB was rolled back for maintenance, including repairs to the SLS umbilical blamed for the hydrogen leak. Replacing seals on the core stage is one of the things technicians are doing.
NASA officials said during the call on Wednesday that they are making good progress on the repairs, but they need to make sure Artemis 1 is ready before they let it go. The navigation and control assembly unit has been replaced and personnel are checking over the interim cryogenic stage that will give the capsule a kick towards the moon.
NASA has a program to explore the moon.
To say that the vehicle is ready, Artemis 1 must pass a set of operation maintenance requirements.
If everything goes well, the SLS stack will be allowed to move to the pad as soon as August 18th.
The entire set of tests is lengthy, but some key ones the agency is watching include tests of the flight terminated system of SLS, the rocket's engine section, and the core stage forward skirt.
NASA officials said there were different mission durations and launch times in each attempt. At 8:33 a.m., the launch opportunity would open. The capsule would return to Earth after 42 days if Artemis 1 is successful.
The launch window is open for two hours on Sept. 2. Artemis 1 would come back 39 days later on October 11. There is a 1.5 hour launch window on September 5th. Artemis 1 would come back 42 days later.
The agency has several interim launch opportunities in case Artemis 1 is delayed.
On the 53rd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, NASA talked about the progress of Artemis 1. If the Artemis 1 and Artemis 2 missions go well, the agency hopes to have people back there in about 25 years.
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