NASA Faces New Hurdle Ahead of Artemis II Countdown Test
▼ Summary
– NASA is investigating fueling problems with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to prevent issues before the Artemis III Moon landing mission.
– The Artemis II crew mission, currently delayed, will undergo another countdown rehearsal to test a fix for a hydrogen fuel leak.
– Artemis II is the first crewed flight of the SLS and Orion, planning a 10-day trip to orbit the far side of the Moon.
– Hydrogen leaks are a recurring issue for SLS, having also delayed its 2022 test flight despite procedural fixes.
– Engineers identified the leak’s source as ground equipment connections where fueling lines attach to the rocket’s core stage.
NASA is actively working to resolve persistent fueling issues with its Space Launch System rocket as it prepares for the critical Artemis II mission. The agency is targeting a second countdown rehearsal as early as next week to verify repairs made to a hydrogen leak that halted a previous practice run. This mission, which will send four astronauts on a journey around the Moon, is a vital precursor to the planned lunar landing of Artemis III.
The problem is a familiar one for the SLS program. A similar hydrogen leak caused significant delays for the rocket’s inaugural Artemis I test flight in 2022. Ground teams believed they had implemented a permanent fix by adjusting the procedure for loading super-chilled liquid hydrogen into the rocket’s core stage. However, during the most recent countdown test on February 2, the leak reappeared despite using the same updated loading method.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson acknowledged the recurring challenge in a recent social media update. He noted that given the historical issues and the long gap between missions, encountering hurdles in the Artemis II campaign was not entirely unexpected. While this does not excuse the situation, it provides context. Nelson expressed strong confidence in the NASA and contractor teams diligently working to overcome these technical obstacles.
Investigations have pinpointed the source of the leak to ground support equipment, not the rocket itself. The issue is isolated to the interface where fueling lines from the mobile launch platform connect to the base of the SLS core stage. Specifically, the leaks originate in components called Tail Service Mast Umbilicals (TSMUs). These crucial lines deliver the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants to the rocket during countdown. They are designed to disconnect and retract into protective housings at the moment of launch. Engineers are now focused on the seals and connections within this system to ensure a reliable fix before the next test.
(Source: Ars Technica)
