NASA Declares Artemis 1 Wet Dress Rehearsal Good Enough to Push Moon Mission

After finishing its pre-launch testing, NASA proceeded with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket's launch preparations.

The tests, also known as the "wet dress rehearsals," have been deemed "complete" by the agency, Republic World said. The rocket will now be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) after undergoing extra testing at Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

It is noteworthy, given that the mission team had a propellant leakage while conducting the testing.

(Photo : Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images)
In this handout provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Friday, March 18, 2022, after being rolled out to the launch pad for the first time at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ahead of NASA's Artemis I flight test, the fully stacked and integrated SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will undergo a wet dress rehearsal at Launch Complex 39B to verify systems and practice countdown procedures for the first launch.

NASA SLS Wet Dress Rehearsal for Artemis 1 Finished

NASA said it would return the Orion spacecraft and the SLS mega-rocket to the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), situated at Kennedy. It is because the Space Launch System wet dress rehearsal has already been completed.

Gizmodo, citing NASA sources, reported the majority of the test objectives were accomplished. They did not specify, however, what the other 10% are or if these elements were significant.

NASA also did not address if the hydrogen leak problem found in the tail service mast umbilical of SLS has already been resolved. NASA engineers changed the ground countdown sequencing so that it may disregard the leak issue to conduct the final wet dress rehearsal.

The space union's countdown clock lasted until T-minus 29 seconds, enabling the test to be completed. NASA stated that it would first fix the hardware associated with the leak problem before a precise launch date is determined.

ALSO READ: NASA Artemis 1 Moon Rocket Undergoing 'Critical' Series of Tests This Weekend in Preparation for This Year's Launch

Next Launch Update for Artemis 1

NASA announced that there wouldn't be another test of the moon rocket's fuelling and countdown. Instead, it will fix a hydrogen leak before returning to the launchpad at the Florida-based Kennedy Space Center in late August for its initial launch attempt.

The Space Launch System rocket's two stages were completely fueled with more than 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen when NASA completed the test, referred to as a "wet dress rehearsal," this week. However, a hydrogen leak caused the simulated countdown to end with only 29 seconds remaining.

The space agency said that they would set a specific target launch date after replacing the hardware associated with the leak, Washington Post reported. This week's test would have been the fifth try, but NASA officials indicated they weren't sure if they would need to conduct it again.

They declared on Thursday that there is sufficient evidence to move through with the enormous SLS rocket's first-ever launch attempt, which the agency wants to use to send men back to the moon. The first launch window was set between Aug. 23 and Sept. 6.