If you're following the progress of NASA's Artemis 1 Moon Mission, you'll know that the spacecraft has been delayed multiple times due to technical issues.
The latest major problem it encountered was on Aug. 29. When launch controllers discovered issues with the rocket during the mission's countdown, space agency's launch director Charlie Blackwell made the decision to abort the launch of Artemis 1.
NASA reassured the public that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are still in a "safe and stable configuration" despite the incident.
After multiple issues it encountered throughout the previous months, Artemis 1 will be undergoing a fuelling test once more starting tomorrow, Sept. 21, in an effort to fly the SLS rocket to the moon on Sept. 27, according to a news story by Space.com.
Artemis 1 Fueling Test on Sep. 21
The fuelling test on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Pad 389A of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida will evaluate repairs for two hydrogen leaks on the rocket that the Artemis 1 crew encountered early this month.
Aside from this, the team will also try a new, slower and "gentler" method of fueling the 32-story booster.
On Sept. 27, if all goes well with this fueling test, NASA will attempt to launch the Artemis 1 SLS rocket to the moon for the third time.
The Artemis missions meant to bring astronauts back to the Moon. Artemis 1 mission is the only uncrewed mission of all Artemis missions, and will also serve as a reference to other manned missions in the future.
In light of the fact that the spacecraft will serve as a reference for the future Artemis missions, NASA is taking its sweet time to learn about and study it.
"We're not just setting ourselves up for the launch on Sept. 27, we're setting ourselves up for the future of this vehicle," Tom Whitmeyer, NASA's deputy associate administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development, according to Space.com. "So that's why we're taking the time and the effort to make sure we understand the vehicle."
A Gentler Fueling Test on Sept. 21
On Aug. 29 and Sept. 3, NASA's Artemis 1 made two unsuccessful attempts to launch the Artemis 1 mission thanks to Artemis 1 crew discovering a significant hydrogen fuel leak as well as an issue with the engine temperature that was caused by a faulty sensor. Since then, the space agency has fixed two hydrogen lines.
According to Space.com, the 736,000 gallons of super-chilled liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that Artemis 1 requires for liftoff will be poured into the rocket's core and upper stages during a fueling test on Wednesday.
However, NASA noted that this fueling test is not a full dress rehearsal for launch as it is intended to ensure that the new fueling method and repairs for fuel leaks are effective.
The new fueling method refers to the slower fueling liquid hydrogen loading process that NASA will attempt tomorrow. This "kinder and gentler" fueling method aims to make things easier on the SLS fuel lines. To reduce the strain on the pressurized fuel lines and seals, the process will fuel the rocket around 30 minutes slower than usual. The fueling process can take up to four hours.
Related Article : NASA Postpones Artemis 1 Launch Following Issues Found During Countdown
