NASA delays launch of Artemis II lunar mission by a month : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4507x3005+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F27%2Fa9fe252843eca53949871c8a22a5%2Fgettyimages-2258921729.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4507x3005+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F60%2F27%2Fa9fe252843eca53949871c8a22a5%2Fgettyimages-2258921729.jpg" class="img" alt="NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II lunar fly-by mission by at least a month. Testing of the rocket, shown here on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida last Sunday, revealed a number of issues. The launch, with four astronauts, would be the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years." fetchpriority="high"/> NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II lunar fly-by mission by at the very least a month. Testing of the rocket and capsule, proven right here on the launch pad on the Kennedy House Heart in Florida Sunday, revealed a lot of points. The launch, with 4 astronauts, can be the primary crewed mission to the Moon in additional than 50 years. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures conceal caption

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Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures A crew of 4 moon-bound astronauts will stay on the bottom for at the very least a month after NASA delayed the launch of the Artemis II mission. Throughout crucial pre-launch testing Monday, mission managers uncovered a lot of points that prevented the completion of the take a look at.

NASA is now planning a March launch date for the 4 astronauts — three from the U.S. and one from Canada — on a ten-day mission to circle the moon and return to Earth, touring farther than any people have ventured into deep area.

Points resulting in that delay started about an hour into Monday's take a look at, often called the moist gown rehearsal. Because the crew started fueling the rocket on the Kennedy House Heart in Florida, sensors picked up a hydrogen leak. Tremendous-chilled hydrogen is used because the gasoline for the huge House Launch System (SLS) rocket.

Hydrogen is an environment friendly propellant for rockets — however its molecules are so tiny and lightweight they will escape even the tightest of seals. Launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson mentioned they'd troubleshooted the preliminary leak, however after they started to pressurize the tank, one other leak surfaced.

"And in order we started that pressurization, we did see that the leak inside the cavity got here up fairly fast," mentioned Blackwell-Thompson.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4832x3333+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F96%2F64%2Fc3d64f78442ca4414e7d05e0cb47%2Fgettyimages-2259234487.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4832x3333+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F96%2F64%2Fc3d64f78442ca4414e7d05e0cb47%2Fgettyimages-2259234487.jpg" class="img" alt="(L/R) NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator Lori Glaze, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, and manager of NASA's Space Launch System Program, John Honeycutt, hold a news conference on the Artemis II mission at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Tuesday." loading="lazy"/> (L/R) NASA Affiliate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, NASA Affiliate Administrator Lori Glaze, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, and supervisor of NASA's House Launch System Program, John Honeycutt, maintain a information convention on the Artemis II mission at Kennedy House Heart in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Tuesday. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures conceal caption

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Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/AFP by way of Getty Pictures Hydrogen leaks plagued testing of NASA's Artemis I mission in 2022. Blackwell-Thompson mentioned classes discovered from that uncrewed flight had been utilized for Artemis II, however there's extra investigation is required.

The moist gown rehearsal uncovered different points — together with an issue with the Orion capsule, which can carry the crew to the moon. Whereas nobody was on board Monday, groups practiced getting ready the spacecraft for its passengers. A valve that pressurizes the car required further consideration and took extra time to shut the hatch than anticipated.

Groups additionally uncovered points with cameras as a result of chilly climate and audio dropouts throughout communication channels. "As at all times, security stays our high precedence, for our astronauts, our workforce, our methods and the general public," mentioned NASA administrator Jared Isaacman in a put up on X, and that NASA will solely launch when the company is prepared.

Work now begins to repair the problems. NASA would require one other moist gown rehearsal earlier than giving the "GO" to place astronauts on board. "All in all, a really profitable day for us on many fronts," mentioned Blackwell-Thompson. "Then, on many others, we bought some work we have to go do."

The earliest launch window for an additional try is March 6. NASA has further launch alternatives on March 7, 8, 9 and 11.

The crew of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian House Company astronaut Jeremy Hansen had been launched from quarantine and can stay in Houston, Texas. They will re-enter quarantine about 14 days forward of the subsequent launch try and make the journey to the Kennedy House Heart six days earlier than liftoff.

Artemis II is testing key methods of the Orion spacecraft, like its maneuverability and life assist methods, forward of the deliberate Artemis III mission that may take people to the lunar floor. The Artemis II will mark the primary time people have returned to the moon for the reason that last Apollo lunar mission in 1972.