Cape Canaveral, Florida — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA, in English) postponed until further notice the launch of the Artemis I mission after the takeoff scheduled for today, Saturday, was canceled due to a second leak of liquid hydrogen on the platform.
The spacecraft was scheduled to take off for an uncrewed test flight, which must go well before astronauts can board.
However, at the stroke of 11:17 am ET the countdown to the launch was stopped and the launch suspended. NASA indicated that next week they will have a clearer idea about when they could attempt the launch, but that it will not happen before the window of next Tuesday, September 6, expires.
The next windows are scheduled for mid-September and late October.
“The #Artemis I mission to the Moon has been postponed. Technical teams tried to fix a problem with a leak in the coupling between the main rocket and the equipment that transfers liquid hydrogen to the rocket, but the attempts were unsuccessful, “said NASA in a tweet.
Mike Serafindirector of the Artemis missions, explained during a press conference that the leak occurred due to an overpressure situation in the fuel loading line that, in turn, caused a considerable leak of liquid hydrogen that could not be resolved in the Launch pad.
“Due to the overpressure situation in the line, the quick disconnect receptacle seal may have been damaged. It was at that connection socket that the leak occurred. During the launch attempt on Monday we saw a small leak, but it was not the magnitude of the one we are trying to solve today, “said Serafin.
“Personnel on the launch pad tried to stop the leak three times, but were unable to do so. They tried increasing the pressure in the line, but it didn’t work, as did balancing the temperature between the line and the receptacle,” he stressed.
Accordingly, NASA officials are considering two options: carry out the replacement of the canister, or seals, on the launch pad, where they would be affected by inclement weather, or transport the rocket back to the Assembly Building. , which could take several days, to carry out the operation in a controlled environment. Returning to the Assembly Building would also allow them to recharge the batteries of the rocket and the Orion capsule.
If NASA chooses to return the rocket to the Assembly Building, the launch would essentially be postponed until the end of October.
“The SLS is a new vehicle and we are still learning how to set it up and drive it. We are going to fly when we are ready”, stressed Serafin.
Given how long they would have to wait to launch, NASA said they would have to review perishable items and whether they can remain on the launch pad for an extended period of time.
The first attempt, earlier in the week, was also marred by hydrogen leaks, but these occurred elsewhere on the 98-meter (322-foot) rocket, the most powerful ever built by NASA.
Launch Director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompsonand your team tried to plug Saturday’s leak like they did last time: by stopping and restarting the flow of supercold liquid hydrogen in hopes of eliminating the open space around a seal in the supply line. They tried twice and also shot helium through the line, but the leak persisted.
Blackwell-Thompson finally stopped the countdown after three or four hours of futile efforts to load nearly 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of fuel.
The first countdown, on Monday, was stopped by a faulty engine sensor and another fuel leak. The test flight must go well before the astronauts can get on board.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will attempt to send the capsule around the Moon and back. If successful, it will be the first capsule to fly to the Moon since NASA’s Apollo program 50 years ago.
The $4.1 billion test flight is the first for NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology.
The ship could carry astronauts on board in 2024 for a tour around the Moon and attempt a landing in 2025.