After standing down on the Sept. 3 Artemis I launch attempt when engineers could not overcome a hydrogen leak in a quick disconnect, an interface between the liquid hydrogen fuel feed line and the Space Launch System rocket, mission managers met and decided they will forego additional launch attempts in early September.
Over the next several days, teams will establish access to the area of the leak at Launch Pad 39B, and in parallel conduct a schedule assessment to provide additional data that will inform a decision on whether to perform work to replace a seal either at the pad, where it can be tested under cryogenic conditions, or inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.
To meet the requirement by the Eastern Range for the certification on the flight termination system, currently set at 25 days, NASA will need to roll the rocket and spacecraft back to the VAB before the next launch attempt to reset the system’s batteries. The flight termination system is required on all rockets to protect public safety.
During the Sept. 3 launch attempt, engineers saw a leak in a cavity between the groundside and rocket side plates surrounding an eight-inch line used to fill and drain liquid hydrogen from the SLS rocket. Three attempts at reseating the seal were unsuccessful. While in an early phase of hydrogen loading operations called chill down, when launch controllers cool down the lines and propulsion system prior to flowing super cold liquid hydrogen into the rocket’s tank at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit, an inadvertent command was sent that temporarily raised the pressure in the system. While the rocket remained safe and it is too early to tell whether the bump in pressurization contributed to the cause of the leaky seal, engineers are examining the issue.
Because of the complex orbital mechanics involved in launching to the Moon, NASA would have had to launch Artemis I by Sept. 6 as part of the current launch period.
Future launch opportunities (through the end of the year) are:
Sept. 19 to Oct. 4
- 14 launch opportunities
- No launch availability on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30
Oct. 17-31
- 11 launch opportunities
- No launch availability on Oct. 24, 25, 26, and 28
Nov. 12-27 (preliminary)
- 12 launch opportunities
- No launch availability on Nov. 20, 21, and 26
Dec. 9-23 (preliminary)
- 11 launch opportunities
- No launch availability on Dec. 10, 14, 18, and 23