Une vue du système de lancement spatial (SLS) Artemis I et du vaisseau spatial Orion juste avant le lever du soleil au complexe de lancement 39B du Centre spatial Kennedy de la NASA en Floride le 23 mars 2022. Crédit : NASA/Ben Smegelsky
L’équipe de gestion de la mission Artemis I s’est réunie ce matin pour faire le point sur l’état des opérations et continue de progresser vers le compte à rebours final de la répétition générale humide. Les météorologues de l’U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 prévoient actuellement des conditions météorologiques favorables pour le lancement le 14 avril. Il y a actuellement 5 % de chances que la foudre frappe dans un rayon de cinq milles nautiques de la rampe de lancement lorsque le remplissage commencera. Les contraintes météorologiques stipulent qu’il doit y avoir moins de 20 % de risques d’éclairs dans un rayon de 5 miles nautiques de la plateforme pendant la première heure du ravitaillement. Les vents ne doivent pas dépasser 37,5 nœuds et la température ne peut être inférieure à 41 degrés Fahrenheit.
An artist illustration of the mobile launcher with umbilical lines installed on the tower and attached to NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA
Final preparations on the umbilicals to ensure connectivity between the mobile launcher, the Space Launch System rocket, and Orion spacecraft were completed this evening.
The umbilicals provide power, communications, coolant, and fuel to different parts of the rocket. Additional accessories provide access and stabilize the rocket and spacecraft. During launch, each umbilical releases from its connection point, allowing the rocket and spacecraft to lift off safely from the launch pad.
Teams have also completed a final walkdown at the pad to verify the rocket and ground equipment are in the correct configuration for tanking operations checking to ensure no foreign object debris is present near the rocket that could present a hazard during the test.
The next update will be provided in the morning of April 14, prior to the mission management team’s pre-tanking briefing where they will review the status of operations and determine if they are “go” to proceed toward tanking operations.
Real-time updates will be provided on the Exploration Ground Systems Twitter account with “go” for tanking targeted on April 14. NASA is also streaming live video of the rocket and spacecraft on the Kennedy Newsroom YouTube channel.
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, or SLS, will be the most powerful rocket in the world, with the capability to launch humans beyond Earth’s orbit on Artemis missions. The SLS rocket, powered by four RS-25 core stage engines and two solid rocket boosters, along with an RL10 in-space propulsion engine, provides the energy necessary to launch the Orion spacecraft to the Moon or beyond.
