NASA prepares 2nd attempt to launch its new lunar rocket

NASA will make another attempt to launch its new lunar rocket on a test flight on Saturday, after an engine problem halted its first countdown this week.

Officials said Tuesday they are changing fueling procedures to fix the problem. A faulty sensor could also be responsible for Monday’s failed launch, they clarified.

The 98-meter (322-foot) rocket remains on its pad at the Kennedy Space Center with an empty crew capsule on top. It is the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built.

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will attempt to send the capsule around the Moon and back. There will be no people on board, just three test dummies. If successful, it will be the first capsule to fly to the Moon since NASA’s Apollo program 50 years ago.

During Monday’s launch attempt, one of the rocket’s four main core-stage engines failed to cool sufficiently before it was scheduled to ignite moments before liftoff.

For Saturday’s launch attempt, the cool down operation will take place half an hour earlier.

John Honeycutt, NASA’s program manager for the rocket, said that during previous successful tests the rocket’s cooling process took place earlier, so bringing it forward could work.

Honeycutt also questioned the integrity of an engine sensor, saying it may have provided inaccurate data on Monday. Changing that sensor would have required taking the rocket back to the hangar, which would have resulted in a delay of several weeks.

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.

 

Recent Articles

Related News

Leave A Reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here