Due to a fuel leak, NASA officials had to abandon a second effort to launch its new 30-story lunar rocket, and they warned on Saturday that it might not be able to try again this month.
According to Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development, the existing window for NASA’s Artemis 1 mission to the Moon expires on Tuesday and is “absolutely off the table.”
September 19 to October 4 is the following potential launch window, and in the event of that, NASA said October 17 to 31.
According to Free, the ability to take off during those windows “will basically depend on the possibilities that the team presents back, perhaps on Monday or early Tuesday morning.”
On Saturday, thousands gathered on Florida beaches, and millions of people tuned in to live coverage of the Space Launch System’s (SLS) historic launch.
However, when ultra-cold liquid hydrogen was being pumped in, a leak close to the rocket’s base was discovered, necessitating a stop.
In order to test the SLS and the unmanned Orion capsule that sits atop, the Artemis 1 space mission seeks to pave the way for future lunar missions with humans on board.
Engineers discovered a fuel leak and discovered that one of the rocket’s four main engines was running too hot during the first launch attempt on Monday.
“This is a whole new vehicle, a whole new technology, a whole new purpose of going back to the moon and preparation to go to Mars,” said NASA administrator Bill Nelson. “Yes, it’s hard.”
Mike Sarafin, the mission manager for Artemis, called the hydrogen leak “significant” and identified a fueling tube seal as one of their “top suspects.”
The seal will need to be replaced, according to engineering teams, possibly right there on the launch pad or after transporting the rocket back to its assembly facility a few miles away.
To read our blog on “NASA cancels the launch of the Moon rocket due to an engine problem,” click here.
