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NASA on Sunday morning minimize quick a follow countdown for its new megarocket, the Area Launch System. It’s a key element of upcoming missions to return astronauts to the moon, and the company stated there was an issue with the cell launch tower.
NASA will strive once more on Monday.
The 322-foot-tall rocket and its Orion capsule are essential elements for Artemis, NASA’s moon touchdown program. The system, which might launch astronauts to lunar orbit however will depend on different elements to land them on the moon’s floor, is billions of {dollars} over funds and years delayed.
The weekend’s train, which NASA calls a moist gown rehearsal, is the final main check earlier than the rocket launch is launched on its first uncrewed check flight, which might happen as quickly as this summer season. By simulating a countdown with out the joy of engines igniting and a rocket rising to house, NASA hoped to work out glitches with tools and procedures.
The rehearsal, which began Friday evening, was “moist,” as a result of it was to incorporate pumping greater than 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the large rocket’s propellant tanks.
On Saturday afternoon, extreme thunderstorms handed over the launch website, with four lightning bolts striking protecting towers across the rocket and launcher. Preparation work on the launcher needed to be paused throughout the storm, however after reviewing the info, NASA stated there was no harm and the countdown might proceed.
On Sunday, the gown rehearsal was greater than three hours delayed. Then the halt occurred simply earlier than the propellants had been to start flowing. NASA stated the issue was discovered within the cell launcher, or the movable tower with quite a few programs used to handle the rocket on the bottom earlier than it lifts off. Followers that create optimistic air strain in enclosed areas on the cell launcher weren’t working. The optimistic strain is required to forestall buildup of hazardous gases together with ones that might probably ignite.
The fan has been working for the reason that cell launcher was moved to the launch website final month and continued to run throughout the thunderstorm on Saturday, stated Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the launch director, throughout a information convention Sunday night.
For the loading of propellants, the fan is switched to a special mode the place it could actually blow in additional air. The fan ran on this mode for a number of hours earlier than the issue occurred.
“We don’t consider that was associated to the lightning,” Ms. Blackwell-Thompson stated.
Then a backup fan additionally failed, apparently for a special motive, resulting in the halt within the countdown.
“We determined we needed to essentially perceive that, given it was the primary time loading of the automobile,” Ms. Blackwell-Thompson stated. “And we make the choice to remain down.”
On Monday, the loading of propellants is to start at 7 a.m. Jap time with the train wrapping up within the afternoon. If the rehearsal runs into extra snags, one other try is perhaps doable on Tuesday.
The primary check flight of the Area Launch System, Artemis 1, might happen this summer season with the Orion capsule touring across the moon and again to Earth with astronauts on board. The second Artemis flight, scheduled for 2024, would have astronauts on board for a similar journey. Artemis 3 is to be the primary lunar touchdown by astronauts since 1972. NASA has proposed a 2025 date for that crewed journey, but it surely might face extra postponements.
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