Launching pads have lightning towers.
The launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is where the Artemis 1 moon mission will take place on Monday.
Pad 39B's lightning towers were hit by three bolts, which came close to the Artemis 1 stack.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission has live updates.
Lightning strikes next to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center a few moments ago as NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Artemis I await their Monday launch during a two-hour window opening at 8:33 a.m. EDT. pic.twitter.com/UsfBX1Q2u8August 27, 2022
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The towers were doing their jobs and there was no reason for alarm. During an Artemis 1 fueling test in early April, one of 39B's three towers was struck, but the SLS and Orion escaped injury.
NASA officials said today's strikes were likely of low magnitude. The agency is looking into the possibility that the Artemis 1 stack may have been affected.
NASA officials said that a weather team has begun an assessment that includes collecting voltage and current data. The data will be given to a team of experts who will determine if any constraints were violated. Engineers will conduct a walkdown at the pad tonight if necessary.
The first mission of NASA's Artemis program of lunar exploration is called Artemis 1. An uncrewed mission to the moon will take six weeks from liftoff to splash down. The main goal is to show that both vehicles are ready to launch astronauts to the moon and other deep space destinations.
The weather is not great on the Space Coast. It's expected to clear up by launch day, according to the U.S. Space Force.
If the weather or technical issues nix that liftoff attempt, NASA has two backup opportunities in September.
At 6:30 p.m., the story was changed. Information from the NASA post update will be included on the 27th.
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