NASA declares SLS rocket's dress rehearsals as 'complete' despite fuel leakage during test

NASA has decided to move ahead with the launch preparations of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket after concluding its pre-launch tests. The agency has declared the tests, also called the “wet dress rehearsals” as 'complete' and is now planning to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) after some additional testing at the launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

Notably, this comes despite the mission team encountering a propellant leakage during the tests. 

Engineers encounter fuel leakage

The pre-launch tests involved rolling out the SLS rocket mounted with the Orion spacecraft and conducting a full launch countdown. During the test, the engineers also filled the rocket's tank with 7,00,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen. However, the team encountered a hydrogen leak in one of the two tail service mast umbilicals, which connect the Mobile Launcher (launch tower) to the rocket's core stage. 

The crucial test, which began on June 19 and wrapped up on June 21, was initially planned for April 1 but was delayed multiple times due to technical issues and propellant leaks.

However, during a press briefing after the completion of the rehearsal, Kathryn Hambleton, a NASA spokesperson confirmed that SLS will be rolled back to VAB for launch preparations. Notably, it was the leakage that forced NASA to halt the countdown at T-29 seconds instead of the planned T-9 seconds. The tests were conducted by the mission team to get them as far into the countdown as possible. 

NASA to move ahead with launch preparations

While Mike Sarafin, NASA’s Artemis 1 mission manager confirmed leaving a few things unaccomplished, he added, "I would say we’re in the 90th percentile in terms of where we need to be overall", Spaceflight Now reported. Moreover, John Blevins, the SLS program’s chief engineer at the Marshall Space Flight Center said during the presser that there is a protection system for objectives that the team failed to meet. "So they’re not really about making the vehicle safer to fly. They’re really about can we hit the launch target for our window that’s optimum for our lunar mission."

Artemis I, which has faced multiple delays, will be the first of the Artemis Program that aims to take humans back to the Moon and land the first woman on the lunar surface. As for its launch, there is no official date but is most likely to be conducted in late August. According to NASA's schedule, the first launch window opens starting July 26 every two weeks. In August, the launch is most viable between August 23 to September 6.