The Artemis 1 moon rocket is still at the launch pad.
NASA's new Space Launch System megarocket will be used to send an uncrewed capsule to the moon. NASA stood down when it couldn't find a way to fix the leak in time for the liftoff.
The interface connecting the SLS core stage to the mobile launch tower leaked. The Artemis 1 team decided to replace the seal on the quickDisconnect after analyzing the issue for a few days.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission has live updates.
The Artemis 1 stack has been at Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the past three weeks.
In order to protect the hardware from the weather and other environmental conditions, technicians need to set up an enclosure around the work area.
The work done at the pad allows teams to gather as much data as possible to understand the cause of the problem. "Teams may return the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building to perform additional work that does not require use of the cryogenic facilities available only at the pad"
If the team wants to perform more repairs at the VAB, a roll back to the VAB might be required. If Artemis 1 strays off course during liftoff, it will be destroyed by the U.S. Space Force's FTS, which can be used for just 25 days. The Eastern Range is overseen by the Space Force. The Artemis 1 launch window will open on Sept. 19th.
Testing the FTS can only take place in the VAB. It's not clear if NASA will apply for another waiver to extend the certification period, which would allow Artemis 1 to stay on the pad longer. Artemis 1 has been granted a Waiver from 20 to 25.
The second scrub was for Artemis 1. On August 29th, there was a measurement indicating that one of the engines on the SLS core stage wasn't cooling to the proper pre launch temperature. The Artemis 1 team decided to go ahead with the Saturday attempt after concluding that the reading was due to a faulty temperature sensor.
The leak the team is working on is much smaller than the one the team troubleshot on August 29th.
Two launch windows will be available in the next two months. The first runs from September 19 to October 4. It's almost certain that the VAB will be rolled back in September and October. There are four windows out of reach.
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