NASA will be delaying the Artemis 1 moon launch again. From what was previously November 14, the date has been changed to November 16. It has been delayed many times before due to repair maintenance work, as well as Hurricane Ian. Now, the date is pushed once again because of tropical storm Nicole.
As mentioned on Space.com, NASA officials have provided a statement regarding the delay. They noted that moving the date will allow the workforce to put their attention on their families and home. It will also give them sufficient time to get back into launch status once the storm passes.
Weathering the Storm
The Space Launch System (SLS) Rocket was moved back to the launch pad from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), on November 4th. NASA stated that the rocket would be staying there since it could withstand the storm winds, up to 85 mph at the 60-foot level structural margin.
The Kennedy Space Center is now in Hurricane Condition (HURCON) III status. This means that the staff on site will secure the property and equipment. There will be a ride-out team that remains at the KSC to make sure that everything on the site is well.
If all goes accordingly, the launch on November 16 will occur within a two-hour window, which starts at 1:04 AM EST. Granted that the SLS rocket does launch, then the mission will end on December 11, when Orion will perform a splashdown. If the storm does not provide an opportunity for the launch, NASA said the next date for launch would be on November 19.
The Previous Delays
The initial launch for the SLS rocket was back in late August, but there were problems concerning the four RS-25 engines' sensors. It was discovered two hours before the countdown, according to CNBC. The second attempt in early September was then scrubbed once again due to hydrogen fuel leaking into the rocket. The leak was detected seven hours before the lift-off.
Even after those unfortunate delays, Hurricane Ian has found its way to Florida, pushing the launch back once again. To keep the rocket safe, it was transferred from the Kennedy Space Center to the Vehicle Assembly Building on the 26th of September. However, a fire broke out where the SLS rocket was kept.
NASA officials stated that the rocket was not damaged, and that it was never at risk since the VAB was fire safe. It now sits on the launch pad waiting for the day that it will be launched.
Hope for the Best
The Artemis 1 mission has been delayed over and over again, but it only adds to the victorious feeling once it does liftoff. The mission will be uncrewed, and it will not land on the moon. But, it will pave a way for future missions.
The Artemis rocket is one of the biggest projects by NASA, as it marks the beginning of progress toward sending a crewed flight to farther space missions.
