La Lune sert d’arrière-plan au système de lancement spatial Artemis I (SLS) et au vaisseau spatial Orion sur la rampe de lancement 39B du Centre spatial Kennedy de la NASA en Floride, le 21 mars 2022. Le SLS et Orion sur le lanceur mobile ont été transportés jusqu’à l’aire de lancement sur le transporteur à chenilles 2 pour un test préalable au lancement appelé répétition générale humide. Artemis I sera le premier essai intégré des vaisseaux spatiaux SLS et Orion. Lors de missions ultérieures, la NASA posera la première femme et la première personne de couleur sur la surface de la Lune, ouvrant ainsi la voie à une présence lunaire à long terme et servant de tremplin vers Mars. Crédit : NASA/Ben Smegelsky
;” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{” attribute=””>NASA is targeting Monday, April 4, to resume the Artemis I wet dress rehearsal test. The test was stopped Sunday, April 3 prior to tanking due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher using two fans. The fans are needed to provide positive pressure to the enclosed areas within the mobile launcher and keep out hazardous gases. Without this capability, technicians were unable to safely proceed with remotely loading the propellants into the rocket’s core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage.
The launch control team will meet at 6 a.m. EDT and review the status of the operations before deciding if they will proceed with propellant loading. The targeted test T-0 is planned for 2:40 p.m. EDT. Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 currently predict favorable weather conditions for tanking operations.
During a teleconference this evening, Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager and Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director indicated that teams are continuing to troubleshoot the issue with the fans and aim to have a resolution later tonight. NASA will provide an update the morning of April 4, prior to the tanking meeting.
The Space Launch System (SLS) core stage, interim cryogenic propulsion stage, and Orion spacecraft will remain powered up overnight. The SLS boosters will be powered down, and then powered up again Sunday morning. Teams will work through the night and into the morning to complete necessary preparations ahead of loading propellants into the rocket.
NASA is streaming live video of the rocket and spacecraft at the launch pad on the Kennedy Newsroom YouTube channel.
