CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission will try to launch again.
Mission managers met Monday (Nov. 14) to discuss Artemis 1’s readiness for flight. Space launch system (SLS) missile and Orion spacecraft After minor damage from Hurricane Nicole, which was quickly downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall on Thursday (November 10). Although it was an insulating sealing band on the orion damaged by strong winds “There is no change in our plan to try to launch on the 16th,” Artemis mission manager Mike Sarafin said during a media teleconference today (Nov. 14) at NASA headquarters in Washington when the storm landed.
“The first recommendation for the team was that we’re in a good position to go ahead and continue the launch countdown,” said Parsons, deputy manager of ground systems for NASA’s Exploration program. Kennedy Space Center in Florida (KSC). If all goes according to plan during additional pre-flight checks and the cryogenic refueling process on Tuesday (November 15), Artemis 1 mission It will launch from Launch Pad 39B at 1:04 a.m. EST (0604 GMT) in November. 16. You can count down, refuel and track Introducing Artemis 1 live here Courtesy of NASA on Space.com.
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One of the main areas of concern was the insulating sealant strip known as RTV, which was designed to repair a slight gap on the Orion spacecraft’s exterior. Strong winds during Hurricane Nicole blew 10 feet (3 meters) of the RTV off Orion. After discovering the damage, there were concerns that the missing plug could create unwanted airflow that could cause overheating during takeoff and takeoff. After reviewing the matter and conducting numerous analyses, Artemis 1 mission managers think the vehicle is still flyable.
“We looked at the entire stack of vehicles from the Orion spacecraft to the base and agreed that the risk was limited by the existing threats and the threat reports out there,” Sarafin told reporters.
“So if we have a problem that would cause us to meet one of our unauthorized criteria, it might not be our day,” Sarafin said.
However, Parsons added that while mission managers still have a chance to spot problems that could prevent a launch attempt on Wednesday (Nov. 16), there is much to be proud of in terms of how the Artemis 1 teams have weathered it. far from the many failures of the mission.
“And let me tell you, the team is firing on all cylinders at this point and so I can’t be prouder of them. Because I think if you’d asked me a few weeks ago, would we have gone through? A storm like Hurricane Nicole and then turned around and cleaned up the car and been in good shape if i knew, i’d say hey, it’s probably low.
Artemis 1 will see the launch of an uncrewed Orion spacecraft into lunar orbit aboard the SLS vehicle. The purpose of the mission is to set the stage for future Artemis missions that will see humanity return to the Moon.
Artemis 2 will see a crew placed in lunar orbit no later than 2023, while Artemis 3, planned for 2024 or 2025, will see astronauts once again leave footprints on the lunar surface.
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