Over the next few days, NASA engineers will dig into the hydrogen leak that grounded the moon rocket during the second launch attempt on Saturday. in the rocket on the pad or once they got it back to the vehicle assembly building. Related: Artemis 1 Launch Attempt Cleaned Up After Leak Detected; the next test will take place in October. By doing it at the pad you are exposed to the environmental conditions and we have to build an environmental enclosure to do this. If we do it in the vehicle assembly building, the vehicle assembly building is the environmental enclosure. However, we cannot test this rapid disconnect at cryogenic temperatures,” said Mike Sarafin, NASA’s Artemis mission manager. Regardless of the leak, a system must be reset in the VAB before another launch attempt can be made. The first mission of the Artemis program is focused on testing the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft which will carry astronauts. So, although there are no humans on board, the data gleaned is essential for safety when the four astronauts are perched atop the 322-foot SLS. “There is understanding, even if people are disappointed. I know people understand that these are safety first issues. And sometimes you just have to make the decision to delay,” said Julie Brisset of UCF’s Florida Space Institute. So for now, the length of the delay will depend on the progress of repairing a leaky joint.
Over the next few days, NASA engineers will dig into the hydrogen leak that grounded the moon rocket on the second launch attempt on Saturday.
They need to figure out if they will fix the sealing problem when the supercooled fuel is pumped into the rocket on the pad or once they bring it back to the vehicle assembly building.
Related: Cleaned Artemis 1 launch attempt after detecting leak; the next test will take place in October
Both locations have their merits and challenges.
“There is a risk-for-risk trade-off. By doing it at the pad you are exposed to the environmental conditions and we have to build an environmental enclosure to do this. If we do it in the vehicle assembly building, the vehicle assembly building is the environmental enclosure. However, we cannot test this rapid disconnect at cryogenic temperatures,” said Mike Sarafin, NASA’s Artemis mission manager.
Regardless of the leak, a system must be reset in the VAB before another launch attempt can be made.
The first mission of the Artemis program is focused on testing the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft which will carry astronauts. So even if there are no humans on board, the data collected is essential for safety when the four astronauts are perched atop the 322-foot SLS.
“There is understanding, even if people are disappointed. I know people understand that these are safety first issues. And sometimes you just have to make the decision to delay,” said Julie Brisset of UCF’s Florida Space Institute.
So, for now, the length of the delay will depend on the progress of repairing a leaky joint.