NASA test of the rocket that will launch the manned mission to the moon. What is the critical stage of repetition
Artemis 2 mission launch pad Photo: Brandon Moser / Alamy / Profimedia
On Thursday, NASA will proceed to the second fueling test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which will be used for the Artemis 2 mission with a human crew around the world, reports Space.com on Wednesday, taken over by Agerpres. The test will power the giant rocket for a simulated launch on February 20 at 01:30 GMT.
Thursday's test follows a first test on February 2-3, which identified hydrogen fuel leaks and other problems.
Mission operators were called to duty from Tuesday evening at 23:50 GMT to begin the second dress rehearsal (WDR) for the Artemis 2 Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The test continued overnight, with teams spending the late evening and early morning hours turning on key vehicle systems. According to NASA's timeline, the Orion capsule was powered up before midnight, followed by activation of the core stage and intermediate cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) in the early hours of Wednesday morning. On schedule, engineers then moved on to final preparations for the rocket's four RS-25 engines.
Through this morning and into the afternoon, teams expect to focus on battery charging operations for both Orion and the SLS rocket's core stage.
The most critical stage of the rehearsal will take place on Thursday, however, when NASA plans to load more than 2,700 cubic meters of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the SLS — the same operation that forced an early end to the first dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 mission in January after a hydrogen leak was detected.
The hydrogen leaks also affected dress rehearsals for the Artemis 1 mission, which ended up being launched in November 2022 after significant delays. Artemis 1 was a success, sending an unmanned Orion capsule to lunar orbit and back.
Artemis 2 is the first crewed mission of NASA's Artemis program. It will send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth aboard the Orion capsule. The closest possible release date is March 6th.
