On Saturday, June 25, Artemis 1 underwent a successful wet dress rehearsal, which means that the NASA engineers could validate the rocket's software interface and its countdown procedure.
Now, NASA officials are eyeing August for a launch.
NASA Officials Want August Launch for Artemis 1
According to Space.com, the Artemis 1 stack will be delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building or VAS at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on July 1.
The stack, a Space Launch System or SLS rocket topped by an Orion capsule, will undergo repairs. The engineers will also prepare it for its August launch.
Artemis 1 is the first-ever recorded launch for the SLS. It will send Orion on a moon mission estimated to take about a month to complete.
The said mission has faced several delays in the past few months, with the most recent being a problem with the rocket's certification to fly because the fueling test was incomplete.
Fueling test is an integral part of NASA's wet dress rehearsal, which takes about three days to finish, and is a series of trials designed to examine the rocket's ability and performance before its flight.
Also Read: NASA Artemis 1 Mission to Launch 'Mega-Moon Rocket' in 2022-What to Expect
Artemis 1 Stack
According to CNN, the Artemis 1 stack was rolled out from the VAB to the Kennedy Space Center's Pad in March. It was sent to the center to prepare it for a wet dress rehearsal that started on Apr. 1.
However, despite several attempts, the engineers could not fill the SLS with cryogenic propellants, forcing them to send the Artemis 1 stack back to the VAB for repairs. It stays in the VAB until Apr. 25.
The most recent wet dress rehearsal, which happened on June 20, did not go smoothly, but NASA has given it the go signal for a launch.
Mission operators were able to fuel SLS after several attempts, bringing the rocket's launch simulation forward in April, according to Live Science.
During the fueling test on June 20, a leak from the core stage's engine cooling system line was detected, but the mission operators stated that it did not pose any safety risk.
The operators continued with the terminal count of the simulation.
According to Phil Weber, the senior technical integration manager at the Kennedy Space Center, the mission operators were able to run a mask for the leak.
On June 24, Weber and other NASA officials discussed the plans for Artemis 1 at a press conference now that the wet dress rehearsal is over.
The mask has allowed the count to continue through a couple of mission control computers to the automated launch sequencer or ALS aboard the SLS. The count has ultimately terminated the count at T-29 seconds.
However, NASA officials did not state if there would be another wet dress rehearsal after the last one.
The Artemis 1 stack will undergo more maintenance at VAB's Pad 39B, including repairs to the SLS umbilical, which caused a hydrogen leak.
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Written by Sophie Webster
