NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission: Dwell updates

Fueling underway for Artemis 1 moon rocket

NASA is continuing with liquid oxygen fueling of the Artemis 1 moon rocket after a temperature readings slowed their work earlier as we speak. 

“After troubleshooting a difficulty with the temperature of liquid oxygen throughout early levels of propellant loading into the rocket’s core stage, launch controllers have resumed operations,” NASA wrote in an replace at 12:25 pm ET. “Groups carried out chill down operations once more earlier than liquid oxygen started flowing into the tank and adjusted pump speeds as mandatory throughout stream to assist guarantee temperatures stay under limits. Additionally they opened valves to bleed off any heat liquid oxygen.”

NASA has additionally begun filling the Artemis 1 core stage with the super-cold liquid hydrogen propellant the rocket will use, in all, Artemis 1’s House Launch System rocket will use 537,000 gallons of propellant throughout its launch to the moon. — Tariq Malik

Artemis 1 moon mission take a look at runs into oxygen snag

NASA has continued its work testing {hardware} that may fly on the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission later this 12 months. This morning, mission personnel labored to chill oxygen strains in preparation for gas loading, however as liquid oxygen started flowing into the rocket, groups observed that the temperature had crept too excessive and paused the take a look at, which had been focusing on a “launch” time of three:57 p.m. EDT (1957 GMT).

“As groups started the liquid oxygen (LOX) gradual fill, a temperature restrict was exceeded,” Jeremy Parsons, deputy supervisor of the Exploration Floor Programs group at Kennedy House Middle, wrote in a tweet. “Groups imagine they perceive the problem and are working an answer that may permit operations to renew. These are all essential elements of take a look at situations in advanced environments.”

NASA powers up Artemis 1 rocket’s core stage, Orion spacecraft

In a single day from Tuesday to Wednesday (April 12 to April 13), the Artemis 1 group powered up the core stage of the mission’s enormous House Launch System rocket in addition to its Orion spacecraft, NASA officers wrote in an replace Wednesday.

This work is a part of the Artemis 1 “moist gown rehearsal,” a observe run of important prelaunch procedures reminiscent of rocket fueling. The group stays on monitor to fill the tanks of the SLS core stage (however not the higher stage) on Thursday (April 14), as deliberate, company officers mentioned.

The moist gown is scheduled to wrap up on Thursday. If every thing goes nicely, the Artemis 1 group will then proceed towards gearing up for the mission, which can launch an uncrewed Orion on a journey across the moon, maybe as early as June.

NASA resumes Artemis 1 moon mission’s moist gown rehearsal

NASA has resumed a key prelaunch take a look at of its Artemis 1 moon mission.

The Artemis 1 moist gown rehearsal started as soon as once more at about 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on Tuesday (April 12), when group members arrived at their stations on the Launch Management Middle at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle (KSC) in Florida.

The moist gown will unfold over the subsequent 48 hours, with the massive occasions — fueling of the core stage of Artemis 1’s enormous House Launch System rocket, for instance, and the efficiency of a number of simulated countdowns — occurring on Thursday (April 12). 

The climate appears to be like good for tanking operations on Thursday, NASA officers wrote in a weblog publish on Tuesday. 

This is not the primary try at Artemis 1’s moist gown. NASA started the take a look at on April 1 and aimed to complete it on April 3, however technical points and the April 8 launch of the personal Ax-1 astronaut mission pushed issues again to Tuesday. 

One of many technical points, a defective valve on the Artemis 1 cellular launch tower, led to the modification of some moist gown procedures. NASA had initially meant to gas up each levels of the SLS, for instance, however will now give attention to tanking simply the core stage. Learn extra in our story right here.

NASA resuming Artemis 1 moon rocket take a look at Tuesday

NASA plans to renew the essential “moist gown rehearsal” of its Artemis 1 moon mission Tuesday (April 12) after a greater than weeklong delay.

The take a look at — a observe run of an important Artemis 1 prelaunch actions, together with rocket fueling — started on April 1 and was presupposed to wrap up 48 hours later. Technical points pushed issues again a number of days, nevertheless, and the group then needed to stand down for the launch of the Ax-1 personal astronaut mission, which lifted off Friday (April 8) from a neighboring launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Florida.

However the moist gown is slated to select up once more Tuesday with a “name to stations” at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). The large-ticket gadgets, together with fueling of Artemis 1’s enormous House Launch System (SLS) rocket, will happen Thursday (April 14), if all goes in keeping with plan.

Solely the core stage of the two-stage SLS can be fueled, nevertheless. The unique plan known as for fueling the higher stage as nicely, however NASA nixed that half after discovering an issue with a valve on Artemis 1’s cellular launch tower. Learn our full story right here.

Artemis is again to work on Saturday

NASA has introduced that it’ll resume work on the Artemis 1 moist gown rehearsal, an important pre-flight take a look at for the uncrewed moon-circling mission resulting from launch this summer time. The company started moist gown rehearsal actions on April 1, however needed to cease procedures twice. Then, NASA personnel stood down from the rehearsal so as to allow the Ax-1 mission to the Worldwide House Station to launch on Friday (April 8).

Now, NASA has a plan to get again to work on the rocket test. Company personnel will start work on Saturday (April 9) at about 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). The Artemis 1 group will work by way of every job of launch preparations, straight by way of to only below 10 seconds earlier than what can be launch time on an actual flight. If all goes nicely, the group will attain that “T-0” time on Monday (April 11) at about 2:40 p.m. EDT (1840 GMT), NASA officers wrote in a press release.

NASA halts fueling of Artemis 1 moon rocket resulting from valve problem

The “moist gown rehearsal” of NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission has hit one other snag.

The essential three-day take a look at was presupposed to wrap up Sunday (April 3) with the fueling of Artemis 1’s enormous House Launch System (SLS) rocket, however an issue with the followers on its cellular launch tower pushed issues again to Monday (April 4). The Artemis 1 group started loading 700,000 gallons of supercold liquid propellants into the rocket on Monday however needed to halt after discovering an issue with a vent valve on the cellular launcher.

“Due the vent valve problem, the launch director has known as off the take a look at for the day. The group is getting ready to dump LOX and can start discussing how rapidly the automobile could be rotated for the subsequent try. A whole lot of nice studying and progress as we speak,” NASA’s Exploration Floor Programs program said via Twitter Monday afternoon. (“LOX” is liquid oxygen, one of many two SLS propellants. The opposite is liquid hydrogen.)

Keep tuned for extra updates.

NASA units new Artemis 1 “launch” time of 6:02 p.m. EDT

NASA has set a brand new “launch” time for its Artemis 1 moon mission — 6:02 p.m. EDT (2202 GMT) as we speak (April 4).

The massive House Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule that may fly Artemis 1 will not really get off the bottom as we speak, in fact; NASA is presently conducting a “moist gown rehearsal” that simulates most of the actions main as much as launch, together with fueling of the SLS. This important trial began on Friday afternoon (April 1) and was presupposed to wrap up on Sunday (April 3), however a number of technical points pushed some work to as we speak. 

Preserve checking again right here for updates. And you’ll see reside video of the SLS-Orion stack on the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle right here.

NASA ‘go’ to gas Artemis 1 moon rocket

NASA launch controllers cleared the Artemis 1` moon rocket to proceed with “tanking” (or fueling) the House Launch System booster as we speak at 7:40 a.m. EDT (1140 GMT). Later, officers are anticipated to offer a “go” to truly begin the fueling course of. 

NASA stories that the take a look at group is in a maintain presently as they work to resolve an outage with a vendor that gives gaseous nitrogen that’s wanted for the tanking course of.

“Nitrogen is used to arrange for, and through tanking operations, to supply a non-flammable setting inside the SLS. When the problem is resolved, the countdown clock will choose again up with T-6 hours, 40 minutes on the clock (L-7 hours, 20 minutes) remaining within the countdown, starting with chilling down the liquid oxygen strains for the core stage,” NASA wrote in an replace. 

Earlier, NASA was focusing on a deliberate T-0 “launch time” of two:40 p.m. EDT (1840 GMT) during which to conclude as we speak’s take a look at. We’re awaiting phrase from NASA if that point will change. 

NASA to strive Artemis 1 fueling take a look at once more

NASA will make a second try and gas the Artemis 1 House Launch System moon rocket as we speak after a floor programs tools downside on the rocket’s cellular launcher prevented the take a look at on Sunday (April 3).

The Artemis 1 moon rocket is standing atop Pad 39B of NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the place it has been present process a important “moist gown rehearsal” to observe a full launch countdown forward of its moon mission later this 12 months. 

At 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), the launch management group was anticipated to satisfy and overview the rocket’s standing earlier than deciding whether or not to start loading gas at round 7 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT). If accepted, the group would then proceed to gas the SLS rocket with the 700,000 gallons of super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. 

NASA plans to countdown to a T-0 “liftoff” time of two:40 p.m. EDT (1840 GMT). 

Scrub! NASA calls off Artemis 1 fueling take a look at

NASA has known as off its deliberate “moist gown rehearsal” fueling take a look at of its first Artemis 1 moon rocket over security issues with the rocket’s cellular launch platform. 

NASA introduced the scrub on Twitter at 12:06 p.m. EDT (1606 GMT), practically 5 hours after fueling was initially scheduled to happen. The explanation, NASA officers mentioned, was a pressurization downside on the cellular launcher that homes floor crew programs. 

“Groups have determined to wash tanking operations for the moist gown rehearsal resulting from lack of capacity to pressurize the cellular launcher. The followers are wanted to supply constructive stress to the enclosed areas throughout the cellular launcher and maintain out hazardous gases,” NASA wrote in an replace as we speak. “Technicians are unable to soundly proceed with loading the propellants into the rocket’s core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage with out this functionality.”

NASA is now working to find out if floor crews could make one other try and gas the Artemis 1 mission’s House Launch System rocket on Monday, April 4. 

A media briefing on NASA’s plans is predicted later as we speak.

Fueling day for Artemis 1 moon rocket

It is fueling day for NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket because the company nears the principle occasion of its “moist gown rehearsal.” 

At 6:45 a.m. EDT as we speak, NASA’s Artemis 1 launch director gave the “go” to start fueling the Artemis 1 House Launch System rocket at 7:20 a.m. EDT (1120 GMT). 

Sturdy storms in a single day induced about an hour of delays for crews working at Launch Pad 39B, in keeping with Jeremy Parsons, NASA’s deputy supervisor of the Exploration Floor Programs, who’s reside Tweeting the take a look at.

4 lightning strikes occurred within the neighborhood of the Pad 39B web site, together with the strongest strike to the pad’s protecting catenary wire and tower construction designed to protect the Artemis 1 moon rocket from direct lightning hits. 

“1 of the strikes final evening was the strongest now we have seen since we put in the brand new lightning safety system,” Parsons wrote. “It hit the catenary wire that runs between the three towers. System carried out extraordinarily nicely & stored SLS and Orion secure. Glad we enhanced safety since Shuttle!”

Artemis 1 SLS rocket core stage powered up for take a look at

NASA’s three-day launch countdown and fueling take a look at for its Artemis 1 moon rocket is in full swing, with engineers powering up the House Launch System’s core stage at 3 a.m. EDT (0700 GMT) this morning, NASA stories. 

The take a look at, known as a “moist gown rehearsal,” is training launch countdown and fueling procedures for the House Launch System rocket that can be wanted when NASA launches the precise Artemis 1 moon mission with this booster round late Might or June. 

You possibly can see reside views of the Artemis 1 House Launch System on the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Newsroom YouTube Channel, which is embedded above.

This is what NASA has on faucet for as we speak: “Round 3 a.m. on Saturday April 2, at roughly L-35 hours and 20 minutes, the Artemis I launch management group powered up the House Launch System rocket’s core stage, which can be loaded with greater than 700,000 gallons of propellants throughout the tanking section of the countdown. Throughout the day, groups will cost Orion flight batteries, conduct closing preparations on umbilical arms, and conduct a closing pre-launch walkdown,” the company wrote in a standing replace.

At 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT), NASA will conduct a climate briefing, at which period the company will launch a brand new replace. Jeremy Parsons, NASA’s deputy supervisor of the Exploration Floor Programs program at @NASAKennedy, is offering reside updates by way of the company’s NASA Exploration Ground Systems Twitter account. — Tariq Malik

Artemis 1 moist gown rehearsal press convention

NASA will maintain a teleconference as we speak at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) to debate the company’s important first fueling take a look at for the Artemis 1 moon rocket presently standing atop Launch Pad 39B on the Kennedy House Middle in Florida. You possibly can watch it reside on the prime of our homepage.

Referred to as a “moist gown rehearsal,” the multi-day take a look at will start on April 1 and finish on April 3 and function a launch day gown rehearsal for NASA’s Artemis 1 uncrewed moon mission. Artemis 1 is scheduled to launch no sooner than late Might or early June. 

Talking in as we speak’s convention can be:

• Tom Whitmeyer, deputy affiliate administrator for frequent exploration programs improvement, NASA Headquarters in Washington
• Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, NASA Exploration Floor Programs program, NASA Kennedy
• John Honeycutt, supervisor, House Launch System program, NASA’s Marshall House Flight Middle in Huntsville, Alabama
• Howard Hu, supervisor, Orion program, NASA’s Johnson House Middle in Houston
• Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission supervisor, NASA Headquarters

Tune in at 1 p.m. EDT to search out out extra about NASA’s Artemis 1 fueling take a look at plans.

There is a rocket there, we promise!

House.com senior author Chelsea Gohd is on the scene in foggy early-morning Florida testing the Artemis 1 rocket on the launch pad. She’s live-tweeting the go to so observe alongside to listen to all the most recent and see tons extra photographs:

NASA’s Artemis 1 megarocket is on the launch pad

It is a milestone area followers have been ready for for ages: NASA’s first House Launch System (SLS) rocket reached the launch pad within the early morning of Friday (March 18). The rocket will endure a few month of testing, retreat to the Automobile Meeting Constructing, roll out once more and launch no sooner than late Might.

NASA chief Invoice Nelson speaks throughout Artemis rollout

The Artemis 1 rollout featured an look by NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson, who gave a 13-minute speech because the company’s House Launch System megarocket and Orion capsule rolled slowly by within the background. 

“Girls and gents, the world’s strongest rocket ever proper right here,” Nelson mentioned. “It is again to the moon after which on to Mars!”

Artemis 1 clears the VAB!

The House Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule that may fly NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission this summer time emerge from the Automobile Meeting Constructing at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Florida on March 17, 2022. The SLS-Orion duo are on their approach to the launch pad for testing, a 4-mile (6.4 kilometers) journey that is anticipated to take 11 hours. Learn extra.

Rollout has begun!

NASA started rolling its Artemis 1 moon mission out to the launch pad at Kennedy House Middle in Florida as we speak (March 17) at 5:47 p.m. EDT (2147 GMT). The company’s crawler-transporter 2 automobile is carrying the House Launch System rocket and Orion capsule on a 4-mile (6.4 kilometers) journey that is anticipated to take about 11 hours. Learn extra right here.

Artemis 1 rollout is reside!

NASA TV has begun livestreaming the rollout of its Artemis 1 moon mission to the launch pad at Florida’s Kennedy House Middle for testing. Watch it reside and browse extra right here.

NASA opens VAB doorways for Artemis 1 rollout

NASA has opened the huge bay doorways on the Automobile Meeting Constructing to start as we speak’s deliberate rollout of the primary House Launch System megarocket that can be used to launch the Artemis 1 mission to the moon. Rollout will start at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). 

House.com Senior Author Chelsea Gohd is at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida the place she is protecting the rollout reside. This is a few of her photographs up to now. 

It is rollout day for Artemis 1 moon rocket!

It is lastly right here: rollout day for NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket.  

As House.com Senior Author Chelsea Gohd stories, NASA’s first House Launch System megarocket will roll to Launch Pad 39B on the Kennedy House Middle in Florida at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). You can watch it reside at begin time on this web page and on the House.com homepage, courtesy of NASA TV. It’ll take as much as 12 hours to achieve the pad. Gohd is on the Kennedy House Middle and can cowl the rollout in a single day for House.com. 

The Artemis 1 mission will launch an uncrewed Orion spacecraft across the moon no sooner than late Might 2022. Right now’s rollout is a debut of types for the rocket and can kick off a month of pad checks that, NASA hopes, will embody a “moist gown rehearsal” to gas the rocket for the primary time.

Right now’s rollout marks the largest transfer in years for NASA’s large crawler provider automobile as nicely. The Apollo-era automobile, initially constructed to maneuver Saturn V rockets, weighs 5.75 million kilos (2.60 million kilograms) and was used to maneuver NASA area shuttles and the Ares I-X take a look at rocket to the pad. 

House.com’s Spaceflight Editor Mike Wall has this explainer of the crawler provider automobile.

Artemis 1 rollout media teleconference as we speak

Right now (March 14), NASA can be internet hosting a reside media teleconference discussing the main points of the upcoming rollout of the Artemis 1 automobiles.

Rollout of the automobiles, the House Launch System (SLS) megarocket and the Orion spacecraft, will happen on Thursday (March 17) at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Florida. The pair can be carried by the company’s crawler-transporter 2 automobile on a gradual, 4-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B. 

Be part of the media teleconference reside as we speak at 5:30 EST (2230 GMT) at House.com or straight by way of the company’s Youtube channel. You possibly can watch the occasion reside on the video above.

Ship your title across the moon on Artemis 1

You possibly can ship your title across the moon on NASA’s Artemis 1 mission, an uncrewed flight that is scheduled to launch in Might or June. Simply join a free “boarding move” at this NASA web page — that is all there may be to it! Learn extra right here.

Artemis 1 rocket rollout set for March 17 for Might launch

In a press convention as we speak, NASA introduced that it’ll roll out the Artemis 1 moon rocket, the company’s first House Launch System megarocket, on March 17 on the Kennedy House Middle in a significant milestone for the company’s return to the moon. 

Artemis 1 will roll out to Launch Pad 39B on the Kennedy House Middle for as much as a month of pad checks and a “moist gown rehearsal” during which the rocket can be fueled as if for launch. The checks will set the stage for an Artemis 1 launch someday in Might 2022, however that would slip to June or July, NASA officers mentioned as we speak. 

You possibly can learn the total story, together with particulars on the moist gown rehearsal, rollout and launch window plans, in our wrap story by Mike Wall.

NASA Artemis 1 mission replace as we speak

Replace for 1:30 pm ET: NASA is now focusing on 2:30 p.m. EST (1930 GMT) for its press teleconference as we speak on the Artemis 1 moon mission replace.

NASA will maintain a reside teleconference as we speak to debate its plans to launch the Artemis 1 moon mission as early as April. The teleconference will start at 1:30 pm ET (2030 GMT) as we speak and you may pay attention in reside right here. 

Artemis 1 is NASA’s first mission to the moon below the company’s Artemis program, which goals to ship astronauts to the moon by round 2025 or so. That crewed moon touchdown will happen on the Artemis 3 mission. 

As the primary to fly, Artemis 1 won’t carry a crew, however will fly on a visit across the moon with devices, cubesats and extra aboard. The mission will use the brand new House Launch System to launch an Orion area capsule to the moon and again. 

The rollout of that SLS moon rocket is predicted someday in March, with NASA resulting from give an replace on that course of as we speak.

NASA fires up Artemis 1 moon rocket’s first-stage engines once more

NASA seems to have ironed out the kinks with the core-stage engines of the House Launch System (SLS) rocket that may launch the Artemis 1 moon mission this spring.

A defective controller on one of many SLS core-stage engines required some troubleshooting just lately, pushing the launch of Artemis 1 — an uncrewed journey across the moon — again to April. These fixes appeared to work, for the SLS core stage engines carried out as anticipated throughout a current sequence of checks, NASA officers introduced on Friday (Feb. 18). Learn our story about these developments right here.

And talking of developments: We will get one other Artemis 1 replace quickly. NASA will maintain a media teleconference on Thursday (Feb. 24) at 1:30 p.m. EST (1830 GMT) to debate the most recent progress towards launch. You possibly can take heed to it reside Thursday right here at House.com, courtesy of NASA, or straight by way of the area company.

Artemis 1 rollout delayed, NASA says

NASA’s first Artemis moon mission will launch a bit later than anticipated.

Right now (Feb. 2), NASA introduced that the rollout of its House Launch System (SLS) megarocket and Orion capsule can be pushed from February to March, although the company has but to announce a precise date. 

“In the end, we will launch this flight {hardware} when the flight {hardware} is prepared and when the group’s prepared,” Mike Bolger, this system supervisor of exploration floor programs at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle, instructed House.com throughout a information convention held as we speak.

Whereas the precise rollout date and new launch date haven’t but been introduced, Mike Sarafin, the Artemis 1 mission supervisor at NASA Headquarters, mentioned throughout the information convention that if the launch is pushed to April or Might, a launch window would lengthen from April 8 to April 23; one other would open Might 7 and shut Might 21.

Be taught extra at House.com right here.

Artemis 1 standing briefing begins quickly

NASA officers are holding a information convention as we speak (Feb. 2) at 12 p.m. EST (1700 GMT) to debate the delayed rollout of the SLS rocket. You possibly can take heed to the teleconference reside within the window above, courtesy of NASA. 

“Whereas the groups will not be working any main points, NASA has added further time to finish closeout actions contained in the VAB [Vehicle Assembly Building] previous to rolling the rocket out for the primary time,” company officers wrote in a assertion.

Full story: NASA delays rollout of Artemis 1 moon mission’s SLS megarocket till March. Hear why as we speak.