NASA announced Wednesday that the Artemis I SLS moon rocket will return to the pad for another launch attempt next month. First, it was a rocket motor sensor, then a hydrogen leak, and then Hurricane Ian. But now NASA is moving forward for the next launch attempt on November 14, just after midnight. The SLS stack was returned to the vehicle assembly building before Ian slammed the Cape shut, giving the launch teams time to cover their bases. it will be about another month before we actually launch. It is very important to charge the batteries and make sure everything is ready to overcome the leak problems that they have had,” said Don Platt of Florida Tech. The rocket has been in the stack for more than a year and was on pad 39B for about seven weeks. As this is the first time the SLS rocket stack will fly, there will be no astronauts on board. But there will be dummies with sensors to detect the impact of forces and the environment. NASA engineers are confident that the issues that kept the SLS stack on the ground have been fixed and minimal work is needed to make it ready for flight. But unlike previous launch attempts, the next one will be at night, which isn’t ideal, as NASA wants to see all angles of this SLS launch for the first time. back in November, it was bigger than the loss of any camera data they might have,” Platt said. NASA officials said the 322-foot rocket will not take off again before November 4. they invite the vice president this time. That will give us an indication of their confidence heading into this next attempt,” said Eric Berger of Ars Technica. If the SLS works and the countdown goes as planned on November 14, the mission will last 25 days. This is shorter than the 40+ day quest if it was launched on previous attempts. And if the SLS rocket does not launch on November 14, there are two backup dates on November 16 and November 19.
NASA announced Wednesday that the Artemis I SLS moon rocket will return to the pad for another launch attempt next month.
First it was a rocket motor sensor, then a hydrogen leak, then Hurricane Ian. But now NASA is moving forward for the next launch attempt on November 14, just after midnight.
The SLS stack was returned to the vehicle assembly building before Ian hit the Cape and that gave the launch teams time to cover their bases.
“It will be about another month before we actually launch. It is very important to charge the batteries and make sure everything is ready to overcome the leak problems that they have had,” said Don Platt of Florida Tech.
The rocket has been stacked for more than a year and was on pad 39B for about seven weeks.
As this is the first time the SLS rocket stack will fly, there will be no astronauts on board. But there will be dummies with sensors to detect the impact of forces and the environment.
NASA engineers are confident that the issues that kept the SLS stack on the ground have been fixed and that minimal work is needed to make it ready for flight.
But unlike previous launch attempts, the next one will be at night, which isn’t ideal as NASA wants to see every angle of this SLS launch for the first time.
“They probably did a risk-benefit analysis and decided that launching at night, and doing it now in November, was more important than losing any camera data they might have,” Platt said.
NASA officials said the 322-foot rocket will not take off again before November 4.
“I think it will be interesting if they invite the vice president this time. That will give us an indication of his confidence heading into this next attempt,” said Eric Berger of Ars Technica.
If the SLS works and the countdown goes as planned on November 14, the mission will last 25 days. This is shorter than the 40+ day quest if it was launched on previous attempts.
And if the SLS rocket does not launch on November 14, there are two backup dates on November 16 and November 19.