The first flight of NASA's most powerful rocket, which was supposed to start the American space agency's goal to return people to the moon and eventually Mars, has been postponed.
The uncrewed Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is the trademark of the Artemis mission, was slated to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, 50 years after the final Apollo mission.
According to Al Jazeera, the third engine had an issue, which prevented the launch from taking place.
The following launch window for the mission is on Friday at 12:48 EDT. The engine problem must be fixed before the SLS can launch.
NASA Scrubs First Artemis 1 Test launch
The space agency was scheduled to launch its Artemis I mission at 8:33 a.m. ET, beginning a more than month-long journey around the moon with the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
However, according to NASA, one of the four liquid engines had a temperature issue. The engineers tried to solve the problem, but only two hours were left until the countdown.
"Launch controllers were continuing to evaluate why a bleed test to get the RS-25 engines on the bottom of the core stage to the proper temperature range for liftoff was not successful," explained NASA in a blog post.
The Artemis 1 rocket is in a "stable, safe condition." the space agency continued.
A hydrogen leak in the engines and a material crack in the thermal protection system were also found by NASA, but they were both rectified in time for the launch window.
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The agency's other launch dates are September 2 and September 5, albeit it is unknown at this time if the issues will be resolved before then.
The uncrewed Artemis 1 launch marks the start of NASA's long-awaited return to the moon's surface.
It ignites the most powerful rocket ever constructed. Thanks to NASA's Artemis lunar program, which is currently on its maiden mission, the organization's astronauts are expected to walk on the moon by the third mission in 2025.
What Happens If NASA Continues to Fail 3 Test Launches
As they continue to gather information regarding this problem, NASA controllers are retaining the rocket in its current condition. Before the organization tries to relaunch the rocket, it's unknown what that implies for the rocket.
According to The Verge, NASA will find itself in a bad scenario if any of the three launch attempts is failed. Prior to launch, teams are required to thoroughly test the flight termination system, which is used to destroy the rocket in the event that something goes horribly wrong during launch. This testing is only permitted within the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
There is a 20-day window after the SLS is deployed from the VAB before the flight termination system must undergo additional testing. The rocket must launch within 20 days following the rollout, failing which it must be brought back to the VAB for another inspection of the flight termination system. If SLS needs to return to the VAB after rolling out in August because that testing is time-consuming, it probably won't be ready to fly until late October.
The following notable mission is scheduled for 2024, when NASA says it will carry a team of people around the moon and back without landing, assuming it can launch successfully. The first crewed Moon landing since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972 will thereafter be launched by NASA in 2025. The first woman to set foot on the moon will participate in this landing.
Testing Orion's heat shield, which will have to withstand temperatures of 2,800 degrees Celsius as it reaches the Earth's atmosphere, is one of the key objectives of this voyage.
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