After chilling the lines for liquid oxygen (LOX), teams have begun the slow fill phase to load LOX into the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage and have started chilling down the transfer line for the liquid hydrogen (LH2). Once LOX slow fill is complete, teams will transition to fast fill operations. Once the …
Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson has given the “go” to officially begin loading propellants into the Space Launch System rocket as part of today’s Artemis I cryogenic demonstration test. Weather remains favorable for the test. Tanking operations will begin with chilldown of the core stage liquid oxygen transfer line. NASA TV coverage is underway.
As the countdown continued Tuesday toward the cryogenic demonstration test, teams conducted final closeouts at the pad and performed other preparations for the test. Work will continue through the night, and all non-essential personnel will leave Launch Pad 39B by 3:40 a.m. EDT Wednesday. The launch director is expected to give a “go” to begin …
NASA remains on track for an Artemis I cryogenic demonstration test on Wednesday, Sept. 21. In the days since the previous launch attempt, teams have analyzed the seals that were replaced on an interface for the liquid hydrogen fuel line between the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the mobile launcher and adjusted procedures for …
The CAPSTONE team continues work on recovery efforts. The primary ongoing focus now is to heat the spacecraft’s propulsion system, which dropped below its operational temperature limit following the initial issue that put the spacecraft into safe mode on Sept. 8. Over the past few days, CAPSTONE’s power – though limited by the orientation of the …
NASA has adjusted the targeted dates for a cryogenic demonstration test and to the next launch opportunities for Artemis I, the first integrated flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft beyond the Moon. The agency will conduct the demonstration test no earlier than Wednesday, Sept. 21, and has updated its request …
Following the Sept. 10 update on CAPSTONE, mission owner and operator Advanced Space has provided an update on the mission. Read the full update from Advanced Space. During or shortly after a planned trajectory correction maneuver on Sept. 8, CAPSTONE suffered an issue that caused the spacecraft to tumble beyond the capacity of the onboard …
The CAPSTONE spacecraft executed a planned trajectory correction maneuver on Thursday evening, Sept. 8, and CAPSTONE mission controllers have since obtained telemetry confirming that an issue put the spacecraft in safe mode near the end of the maneuver. The CAPSTONE mission team has good knowledge of the state and status of the spacecraft. The mission …
After disconnecting the ground and rocket-side plates on the interface, called a quick disconnect, for the liquid hydrogen fuel feed line, teams have replaced the seals on the Space Launch System rocket’s core stage associated with the liquid hydrogen leak detected during the Artemis I launch attempt Sept. 3. Both the 8-inch line used to …
Engineers are making progress repairing the area where a liquid hydrogen leak was detected during the Artemis I launch attempt Sept. 3, and NASA is preserving options for the next launch opportunity as early as Friday, Sept. 23. Technicians constructed a tent-like enclosure around the work area to protect the hardware and teams from weather …
