NASA to resume launch rehearsals of SLS Moon rocket on June 19 ahead of Artemis I

The brand new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which was brought to the launch pad on June 6 for the second time is heading toward crucial tests ahead of its launch to the Moon. NASA, in an update, said that the tests called "wet dress rehearsals" is being targeted for June 19 and the loading of the rocket's tanks with propellant will begin on June 20. Originally scheduled for April 1, NASA had planned to wrap up the testing in two days but the engineers noticed leakage in the rocket's system which led to several delays. 

Notably, the SLS rocket will lift off during the Artemis I mission later this year for the first time and will be mounted with an uncrewed Orion spacecraft. The Artemis I is the first of the Artemis Program which would take humans back to the Moon possibly by 2026. NASA said that the tests will begin at 2:30 am IST on June 19 and teams will decide a day later if they should continue with fuelling the rocket. 

NASA prepares to validate the Moon-bound rocket

During the test, the SLS launch teams will rehearse operations to load propellant into the rocket’s tanks and conduct a full launch countdown. According to NASA, the tanks will be filled with 7,00,000 gallons of supercooled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. In addition to this, the engineers will also demonstrate the ability to recycle the countdown clock and drain the tanks to give them an opportunity to practise the timelines and procedures they will use for launch.

Earlier this month, the rocket was rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and carried to the launch pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center for the second time. NASA was forced to roll back the rocket after the teams noticed leakage of propellants while loading it into the rocket's tanks among other issues. 

The SLS rocket, which weighs 5.75 million-pound and measures 322-foot-tall will be the most powerful rocket ever built during its launch. According to NASA, it has a core stage equipped with four RS-25 engines which can accelerate the rocket to a speed of over 39,000 kilometres per hour. Besides, the SLS has six types of configuration for crew and cargo and the rocket's thrust capacity (the power generated) during liftoff ranges from 8.8 million pounds to 9.5 million pounds.

Image: NASA