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Updated May 6th, 2022 at 21:06 IST

NASA to re-attempt its moon rocket testing in June; Artemis I launch possibly in August

NASA has revealed that it will again roll out its mega Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for a fuel test in early June and launch might be possible in August.

Reported by: Harsh Vardhan
NASA
Image: Twitter/@JimFree | Image:self
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NASA has revealed that it will again roll out its mega Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for a fuel test in early June. The SLS rocket, which would be the most powerful rocket ever built, was hauled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building last month after engineers noticed a number of malfunctions. Notably, the SLS rocket will make its maiden launch in August, if everything goes well, for the uncrewed Artemis I mission to the moon. 

NASA plans to conduct a series of tests under the 'wet dress rehearsal' wherein it will fill the rocket's tanks will propellant and conduct a full launch countdown. The tanks will be loaded with a whopping 7,00,000 gallons of cryogenic, or super cold, propellants, including liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. 

Next fuel test in June, launch likely in August

During a press briefing, Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate said, "We're looking right now at that next wet dress in the early to mid-June timeframe. it may take more than one attempt to get the procedures where we need them". In a tweet, he later informed that the engineers have replaced the check valve and are understanding the causes of the hydrogen leak, the reason why the dress rehearsal was halted. 

"We are still refining the schedule to get back out to the pad. We're aiming for early to mid-June, but we may update the timeframe as the other work progresses. We'll keep you updated and will set an official target launch date after we successfully complete wet dress rehearsal", Free wrote in a tweet. 

Meant to last just two days starting on April 1, the testing needed to validate the rocket for a launch has been scrubbed multiple times. Most recently, the tests were scrubbed for the third time when a liquid hydrogen (LH2) leak on the tail service mast umbilical of the rocket was identified. Frequent delays have led to the postponement of the uncrewed Artemis I launch, which would see the SLS liftoff with an Orion spacecraft mounted atop. If the month-long mission is successful, we could see astronauts launch to the Moon in 2024 under Artemis II and land on the lunar surface as early as 2025 under Artemis III.

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Published May 6th, 2022 at 21:06 IST

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