NASA has once again postponed the launch of Artemis II, its crewed lunar flyby mission, setting a recent launch window for April. Although the launch date was initially planned for March 6, the US space agency revealed that a problem with the rocket caused a further delay.
According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the failure was caused by an interruption of helium flow in the transient cryogenic propulsion stage of the Space Launch System (SLS). The helium flow is necessary to pristine the engines and pressurize the fuel tanks. During two dress rehearsals this month, the system worked properly, but it failed during a routine operation.
Due to the nature of the problem, NASA engineers will need to repair it at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), so there is no option to continue work during the March launch window. The rocket returns to the hangar.
“I understand that people are disappointed with this development,” the official said on his account
Will Artemis II be able to launch a mission in April? NASA said its quick preparations allowed it to potentially keep its April launch window if the situation reversed. It all depends on data, remediation efforts, and how the schedule pans out in the coming days.
Artemis II: failures
The mission had its first launch between February 6 and 11. However, during the humid dressage test (WDR), or full fuel test, the team detected minor hydrogen leaks during refueling and several minor technical faults. After analyzing the situation, NASA concluded that the risk was significant and could endanger the lives of the astronauts, so it decided to postpone the launch.
The second dress rehearsal, conducted on February 19, was a success. In a statement, the space agency explained that it had loaded 700,000 gallons of liquid propellant without any leaks. “During the test, teams closely monitored liquid hydrogen refueling operations, which had proven challenging in previous tests. Hydrogen gas concentrations remained below acceptable limits, which gives engineers confidence in the new seals installed at the interface used to feed fuel to the rocket.” NASA stated.
At the next press conference, mission representatives confirmed to the media that the recent initial launch date would be March 6. However, on February 20, the team failed to get helium flowing through the vehicle, which also occurred during testing of the Artemis I mission. Isaacman noted that the cause could be a faulty filter, valve or connection board.
“There are many differences between the 1960s and today, and expectations should be rightly high given the time and expense invested in this program,” Isaacman stated in his post. “Let me say again, the President created Artemis as a program that will far exceed what America accomplished during the Apollo program. We will return in the coming years, build a base on the Moon, and undertake sustained missions to and from the lunar environment.”
Once launched, the Orion capsule will fly farther than any other manned spacecraft during its 10-day mission, breaking the record of 400,171 kilometers set by Apollo 13 on day six. The return will culminate with Orion landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California.
Although there will be no landing on the Moon – that feat will fall to the Artemis III mission – the second launch is crucial. Its success will demonstrate that NASA has the technical capabilities to return to the Moon and begin a recent phase of space exploration.
This story originally appeared on WIRED in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.