NASA will not try and launch the SLS rocket in the coming days; the company announced after two failed attempts to launch it. The second attempt failed because of a hydrogen leak which the manager of the Artemis 1 mission called a large one. Before that, the debut launch of the moon rocket didn’t succeed due to a problem with an engine. Now the launch is not likely going to take place for several weeks.
When NASA planned to launch the rocket for the first time on August 29, one of the four engines had a temperature issue. A hydrogen leak detection was made then also, but it wasn’t too big. The leak detected by the engineers during the second attempt was large, according to the supervisor of the Artemis mission.
What is Artemis 1 Mission?
The SLS (Space Launch System) is a very expensive rocket that engineers have been improving for a decade or even more. This rocket launch is a part of NASA’s Artemis moon mission, and this mission intends to pave the way for upcoming moon missions of NASA carrying astronauts.
The hydrogen leak Detection
The reason behind the hydrogen leak is still unclear to the engineers. They guess that inadvertent cycling of a valve at the early stage of fuel loading may be the cause. It may have over-pressurized the fast disconnect fitting and the fueling lines. The pressure on the hydrogen transfer line was almost three times higher than usual.
What is being done about the hydrogen leak?
NASA engineers are focusing on fueling technology currently. The system that sends liquid hydrogen to the SLS rocket is supposed to get disconnected from it soon after fueling. This fast disconnect technology contains a seal to prevent hydrogen leaks. This seal is called soft goods; engineers can replace them to stop the hydrogen leak.
The Two Ways to Fix the Problem
NASA is considering two ways to fix the problem. One is to do all the replacements and troubleshooting in the Vehicle Assembly Building, rolling the rocket back there. The other option is to do the replacement at the launch pad.
Both options are time-taking and risky in one way or the other. The cryogenic temperatures are better for hydrogen leak detectors than the ambient temperatures. The engineering team can test the rocket remaining on the pad at cryogenic temperatures, giving a better idea of the possibilities of fuel leaks during the actual launch.
On the other hand, repairing and testing at the launch pad need the construction of an environmental enclosure. The Vehicle Assembly Building structure itself operates as that kind of enclosure. The engineers can’t test the rocket at cryogenic temperatures in the VAB. The rolling back process itself takes long hours.
How much delay may the Process result in?
Either option would take a delay of several weeks. Moreover, NASA has plans to launch a SpaceX astronaut mission called Crew-5 on October 3. They must be willing to avoid any conflict between the missions. This may result in the launch of the NASA Artemis mission, the next launch session starting on October 17.
Other Issues bothering NASA
There is another issue likely to prevent the SLS rocket launch. After the SLS arrived at the pad on August 16, NASA had only 20 days for the next battery test. This battery test is for the termination system of the rocket, and this system can demolish the rocket if any problem occurs during the launch. NASA got an extension of five days for the next battery test, but that time is also up.
Conclusion
NASA plans to check the SLS rocket and the Orion Spacecraft through its Artemis 1 mission. The Artemis program intends to send astronauts to the Moon, and there are Artemis 2 and 3, followed by Artemis 1, through which NASA plans to send astronauts to the Moon. So it’s pretty apparent that NASA is looking forward to the success of the Artemis moon mission.
