NASA Artemis I Rocket Returns to Launchpad After Delays from Glitches, Weather

The NASA Artemis I Rocket returned to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center for its launch on Nov. 14, which was delayed by glitches and bad weather.

Scientists at NASA are looking at a 69-minute launch window to open at 12:07 a.m. EST. But the countdown of the launch will start at 12:27 a.m. on Nov. 12.

Artemis I will test the viability of the space agency's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, an unmanned Orion spacecraft, and the ground system. A successful test could pave the way for a manned test flight and planned human lunar exploration of the Moon and beyond.

Arrival at the Launchpad

The mission to return to the Moon will officially start with an unmanned Artemis I mission to navigate around the Moon and return to Earth safely.

NASA brought to the launchpad the massive SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft at 8:30 a.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 4.

The rocket arrived at pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, ending the 6.5-kilometer travel from its garage at the Vehicle Assembly Building.

While in the garage, NASA engineers had finished the final refurbishment jobs on the rocket.

Delayed

The original launch date of Artemis I was in August. But glitches grounded the rocket on Aug. 29 due to faulty temperature sensors. Another glitch, a liquid hydrogen leak, had stalled the Sept. 4 launch.

In the later part of September, Hurricane Ian came. Engineers had to roll the rocket back to the garage where it was kept for safekeeping.

Before it was rolled back to the garage, NASA engineers had successfully patched out the leak, and the rocket had shown upgraded tanking procedures. During this time, the teams conducted standard maintenance,l repairing minor issues.

The hopes are high at NASA that the Nov. 14 launch will play out on schedule. Weather issues, if not technical troubles, might still crop up between now and Nov. 14 and possibly delay the Artemis I mission once more.

Big Step

The Artemis I mission will mark another era of Moon exploration that will put man back to the Moon's surface since the glory days of Apollo, CNET reports.

NASA said it is crucial for this mission to prove two things. One is the viability of the SLS rocket. Two is the space-worthiness of the Orion spacecraft to carry the crew to the Moon.

Artemis Program

A successful Nov. 14 launch will start the series of space missions by NASA. There are currently three Artemis missions in progress.

Artemis I is the unmanned space flight to circle around the Moon and beyond.

Artemis 2, on the other hand, will be a manned space flight. This mission will try to put man back on the lunar surface, the farthest point in space that mankind has ever reached.

And Artemis 3 will mark the beginning of man's quest for Mars using the Moon as the springboard. The mission will also land not just the first female astronaut, but the first astronaut of color on the Moon.

The long-term goal of NASA is not only Moon exploration. While lunar exploration will enrich man's understanding of the Moon, the space agency will build its capacity to launch crewed missions to Mars.

To achieve the Moon to Mars plan, the space agency will build a space station orbiting the Moon, which will eventually become a habitable base.