NASA calls off the Artemis 1 moon launch due to technical fault

News, US August 30, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

NASA called off the launch of its most anticipated moon rocket launch after an engine bleed was detected during the last minutes. The next launch attempt would not take place at least until Friday or it would be delayed until mid-September this year.

The 322-feet-tall Artemis 1 was set to embark on its maiden space flight on the morning of August 29 to kick-start NASA’s Artemis Project. The Artemis Project aims to put astronauts back on the surface of the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Program ended almost 50 years ago.

The launch of Artemis 1 Space Launch System (SLS) was already running late due to the thunderstorm at the launching site at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The launch was eventually called off after a leak of highly explosive hydrogen fuel was detected only a few hours before the countdown.

The maiden flight of NASA’s Artemis Project would only be a demonstration with no human onboard. The Artemis 1 would be carrying three dummies into the space inside its Orion capsule. The dummies are fitted with an array of sensors to measure and monitor the vibrations, cosmic rays, and other conditions during the flights. After the success of Artemis 1, NASA plans to put humans on the lunar surface to spend weeks at a time.

Thousands of spectators had gathered to witness the launch of NASA’s most powerful full space rocket yet. The spectators were left disappointed after NASA called off the launch. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that NASA’s decision to call off the launch was the right choice.

Safety is always first. Following today's #Artemis I launch attempt, @NASAArtemis teams are working through an issue with engine number 3, and expect to give a news briefing later today. Stay tuned for broadcast details. https://t.co/z1RgZwQkWS pic.twitter.com/BxpIOGyId9
— NASA (@NASA) August 29, 2022

Nelson, who was also an astronaut once, stressed that “We don’t launch until it’s right. And I think it’s just illustrative that this is a very complicated machine, a very complicated system. And all those things have to work. You don’t want to light the candle until it’s ready to go.”

NASA’s Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin said that the team needs to review all the data again and fix all the minor issues before another launch can be arranged. “If we can resolve this operationally out on the pad in the next 48 hours, 72 hours, Friday is definitely in play.” He told the reporters.

When Artemis 1 finally takes off, its SLS would propel the Orion capsule close to the moon. The capsule would loop around the Moon before returning back to earth in the Pacific Ocean, six weeks after the initial launch.

One of the main objectives of the current Artemis mission is to test the durability of Orion’s heat shield. Upon entering back into the Earth’s atmosphere, the Orion capsule would be traveling at a speed of 38,000 kilometers per hour (32 times faster than the speed of sound). The heat shield would face temperatures as high as 1600 degrees Celsius.