The Artemis I team has ended today’s attempt at the wet dress rehearsal test at 5 p.m. The countdown ended after partially loading liquid oxygen into the Space Launch System core stage tank. This provided the teams a valuable opportunity for training and to make sure modeled loading procedures were accurate. This was the first time using new systems at NASA’s …
The countdown for the wet dress rehearsal has resumed at 10:52 a.m. EDT and clocks have picked back up at T-6 hours, 40 minutes on the clock (L-7 hours, 10 minutes). A new planned T-0 of 6:02 p.m. has been established. An earlier issue with an outage with the vendor of gaseous nitrogen required for tanking preparations has been resolved. Overnight, teams …
At approximately 7:40 a.m. EDT, the mission management team chair gave the “go” to proceed with tanking the rocket for the Artemis I wet dress rehearsal test. Later in the countdown the Launch Director will give the “go” to begin the tanking process. Meteorologists with Space Launch Delta 45 said there were no weather constraints …
NASA is targeting Monday, April 4, to resume the Artemis I wet dress rehearsal test. The test was stopped Sunday, April 3 prior to tanking due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher using two fans. The fans are needed to provide positive pressure to the enclosed areas within the mobile launcher and …
Teams have decided to scrub tanking operations for the wet dress rehearsal due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher. The fans are needed to provide positive pressure to the enclosed areas within the mobile launcher and keep out hazardous gases. Technicians are unable to safely proceed with loading the propellants into the …
At approximately 6:45 a.m. EDT, the launch director and mission management team chair gave the “go” to begin tanking the rocket. Meteorologists with Space Launch Delta 45 said there were no weather violations for the test. All elements are powered up and teams have moved the side flame deflectors into position and completed final preparations …
The Artemis I launch team continues to press ahead through the wet dress rehearsal countdown. During the overnight hours after determining four lightning strikes at Launch Pad 39B would not stop the countdown from continuing, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) and solid rocket boosters of the Space Launch System rocket were powered up. Shortly …
Engineers confirmed there were four lightning strikes to the lightning towers within the perimeter of Launch Pad 39B. Teams have determined the first three were low intensity strikes to tower two and are continuing to review data from the fourth strike, which was higher in intensity to tower one. At the time of the strikes, …
The launch team is continuing to monitor severe weather in the Kennedy Space Center area surrounding Launch Complex 39B. Earlier this evening one of the lightning towers was struck and teams are currently assessing any impacts. The lightning protection system consists of three nearly 600 foot tall towers that work together to protect the rocket …
Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 currently predict favorable weather conditions for tanking on April 3. Forecast for this afternoon slightly improved from yesterday. There is currently less than a 5% chance of lightning within five nautical miles of the launch pad. Weather constraints stipulate there must be less than a …
