NASA's moon rocket, spacecraft return for repair after scrubbed test

[Buster's Uncle]

NASA's moon rocket, spacecraft return for repair after scrubbed test
Simon Druker - Yesterday 6:45 PM
UPI News



April 26 (UPI) -- NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission arrived safely at Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida, the agency said Tuesday.



©Joe Marino/UPI
NASA's SLS Booster rolls back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, headed for repairs to the rocket and its mobile launch platform after multiple cancelled tests in April. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI



©Joe Marino/UPI
NASA's SLS booster (R) rolls by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft Tuesday, as the agency said repairs to the SLS will prevent it from being launched until at least August after multiple failed wet rehearsal tests. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI



©Joe Marino/UPI
The SLS Booster and Orion spacecraft are part of NASA's Artemis I mission to return to the moon. The first unmanned test mission was scheduled to launch in June, but now is delayed by a minimum of two months. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI


The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft arrived at the assembly building after a 10-hour journey from launch pad 39B that began Monday morning, NASA confirmed.

Crews will now extend the work platforms to allow access to SLS and Orion.

Over the next few weeks, NASA teams will work on replacing a faulty upper stage check valve and a small leak within the tail service mast umbilical ground plate housing.

They also will perform additional checkouts before returning the rocket to the launch pad for the next wet dress rehearsal attempt.

The space agency's new moon rocket already has been delayed by nearly a month after the SLS failed to complete necessary pre-launch testing earlier in April.

The rocket had been scheduled to lift off between June 6 and 16. But now, NASA officials said launching during that window would be challenging after issues during the SLS's wet dress rehearsal prevented teams from finishing their system tests.

Engineers now hope to complete repairs and finish testing on the SLS moon rocket in time for liftoff of the Artemis 1 mission no earlier than August.

The unmanned mission is the first test flight of the SLS, the rocket designed by NASA to send astronauts back to the moon.

A wet dress rehearsal is a countdown demonstration test with the integrated Orion spacecraft and SLS rocket loaded with propellant.

It was attempted three times in April, but a hydrogen leak on the mobile launcher and unreliable gaseous nitrogen service were obstacles.


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