Pioneering a new generation of lunar missions, NASA is planning a third launch for the Artemis 1 mission on September 27 after two failed attempts to launch the SLS rocket.
Artemis 1, the first mission to combine the Orion spacecraft with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, was imminent, but problems arose before takeoff.
It was originally scheduled for August 29 to see the huge NASA rocket lift off again, but one of the four RS-25 engines in the core booster was suspended due to an abnormal temperature reading.
After troubleshooting a malfunctioning temperature sensor, NASA tried a second time on September 3, but a leak of liquid hydrogen propellant again prevented the rocket from taking off.
A few days ago, a team of engineers worked hard to repair and replace the seal that caused the hydrogen leak, and NASA said it was ready to conduct a low-temperature loading test again on September 21 to ensure that the ground and the rocket’s fuel delivery are closely integrated.
If the tests and reviews go well, NASA plans to open a launch window of about 70 minutes on September 27 at 11:37 a.m. ET.
If the SLS rocket successfully lifts off this time, it will end its journey and splash down in the Pacific Ocean on November 5; the 109-minute launch window, which opens at 14:52 on October 2, is under review.
