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Wet Dress Rehearsal

All articles tagged with #wet dress rehearsal

technology7 days ago•3 min saved

Artemis II delayed to April after helium pressurization issue

NASA has pushed Artemis II to April at the earliest after the 322‑foot SLS rocket was rolled back from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building to address a helium‑pressurization problem identified during prelaunch tests. The four astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen—are in quarantine as technicians inspect the vehicle, replace batteries, and complete additional dress rehearsals ahead of a roughly 10‑day lunar flyby, a mission seen as a crucial stepping stone to a future crewed lunar landing by 2028 with an estimated per‑launch cost around $4.1 billion.

via The Washington Post|

#artemis-ii #helium #launch-delay

space-exploration8 days ago•54 min saved

Artemis 2 delayed to April as NASA fixes helium issue on SLS

NASA’s Artemis 2 Moon rocket has been rolled back from the launch pad to the Vehicle Assembly Building after a helium-flow glitch detected during a wet dress rehearsal, delaying the March 6 launch window to no earlier than April. Engineers will diagnose and repair the upper-stage issue inside the VAB and aim for a possible third wet dress rehearsal, with an April 1 opening and additional opportunities through April 6; the crew is Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremey Hansen.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #helium-leak #nasa

space-exploration13 days ago•55 min saved

Artemis 2 targets March 6 liftoff after second fueling test goes smoothly

NASA completed Artemis 2’s second wet dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center with no LH2 leaks after fixes at the tail service mast umbilical, filling the SLS core and upper stages with about 730,000 gallons of propellants and simulating a countdown to launch. If all goes to plan, Artemis 2 could liftoff on March 6 within a March 6–9 window (March 10 as a backup), on a roughly 10-day crewed mission around the Moon by Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Remaining work includes installing two contingency pad access trusses to test the flight termination system and completing a flight readiness review. Artemis 1’s prior hydrogen leak experience influenced fixes and procedures for this test.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #launch-window #orion

space-exploration15 days ago•57 min saved

NASA readies Artemis II for second hydrogen fueling test to curb leaks

NASA is conducting Artemis II's second wet dress rehearsal fueling at Kennedy Space Center to test cryogenic loading and prevent hydrogen leaks seen in the first test. Ground teams will load roughly 730,000 gallons of LH2 and LOX, with a go/no-go poll around 9:50 a.m. EST and fueling lasting into the afternoon; a successful test keeps Artemis II on track for a potential March 6 liftoff window.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #hydrogen-leak #nasa

space-exploration15 days ago•65 min saved

Artemis 2: Second SLS fueling test under countdown as NASA readies Moon mission

NASA is running Artemis 2’s second wet dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System at Kennedy Space Center, with a nearly 50-hour countdown in progress toward a simulated 8:30 p.m. ET launch on Feb. 19 as teams fuel the rocket with more than 700,000 pounds of LH2 and LOX; after hydrogen leaks disrupted the first test, engineers replaced faulty ground equipment and are using inert nitrogen to reduce fire risk while preparing Orion and the core stage for a crewed Moon mission targeted for early March.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #hydrogen-leak #kennedy-space-center

space-exploration16 days ago•64 min saved

NASA gears up for a second Artemis 2 fueling test after LH2 leak plagues first rehearsal

NASA plans a second wet dress rehearsal for Artemis 2's Space Launch System (SLS) on Feb. 19 after the initial fueling test on Feb. 2–3 was halted by a liquid hydrogen leak; teams will again load more than 730,000 gallons of LH2/LOX at Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39B and rehearse the countdown, fueling, and scrubs ahead of a potential March launch for four astronauts around the Moon.

via Space|

#artemis-ii #hydrogen-leak #kennedy-space-center

space16 days ago•9 min saved

Artemis II hydrogen headaches highlight legacy hardware challenges

NASA is still troubleshooting persistent liquid hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket during a wet dress rehearsal, delaying tests and echoing past issues from Artemis I and the Space Shuttle era. The problem stems from hydrogen’s properties and the SLS’s legacy design, a product of congressional decisions to reuse Shuttle hardware. Engineers are replacing seals and refining fueling procedures, but officials say Artemis II is an experimental vehicle, and a permanent fix would require a major redesign rather than a quick workaround.

via CNN|

#artemis-ii #hydrogen-leaks #nasa

space-exploration17 days ago•52 min saved

Artemis 2 set for second fueling as NASA eyes March moon mission

NASA plans a second wet dress rehearsal for Artemis 2, fueling the Space Launch System with LH2 and LOX on Feb. 19 after fixes for a hydrogen leak seen during the first rehearsal. The leak, traced to an interface at the tail service mast umbilical, prompted seal replacements and a confidence test, with further corrections to ground-support equipment. If all goes well, Artemis 2 could launch as early as March 6 on a 10-day crewed lunar flight, advancing NASA’s Artemis program toward future Moon landings.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #kennedy-space-center #lh2-leak

space17 days ago•5 min saved

NASA readies second full fueling test for SLS in Artemis countdown drills

NASA will conduct a second, full wet dress rehearsal (WDR-2) of the Space Launch System at Launch Complex 39B, loading more than 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen and counting down to a simulated T-0 around Feb. 19 after a Feb. 12 confidence test that yielded useful data but pointed to a ground equipment issue; a firm launch date will follow a successful WDR-2, with March 6 cited as the earliest possible window.

via Spaceflight Now|

#artemis #hydrogen #nasa

space20 days ago•8 min saved

Artemis II Countdown Hiccup Prompts Seal Upgrades Ahead of Next Rehearsal

NASA is fixing a hydrogen-fuel leak on the Space Launch System before the Artemis II countdown rehearsal, after a confidence test showed reduced fuel flow and a filter replacement is planned. The safety limit for hydrogen concentrations, raised to 16% from 4% since Artemis I, remains in effect based on test data. Artemis III will seek cryoproofing and redesigned propellant-loading interfaces; if Artemis II misses March, additional launch opportunities exist in April and May.

via Ars Technica|

#artemis-ii #hydrogen-leak #space

space25 days ago•3 min saved

Hydrogen Leaks Return as Artemis 2 Eyes March Liftoff

NASA continues to wrestle hydrogen leaks on the Space Launch System as Artemis 2 pursues a March liftoff; after Artemis 1 delays, technicians replaced two seals in the tail service mast umbilicals and rechecked interfaces, with Artemis 2’s wet dress rehearsal going more smoothly. Hydrogen’s tiny molecules and ultra-cold temperatures make seals brittle and leaks hard to eradicate, but lessons from Artemis 1 have improved procedures and testing—only further checks will confirm a reliable Artemis 2 launch.

via Gizmodo|

#artemis-2 #hydrogen-leaks #mobile-launcher

space1 month ago•4 min saved

Hydrogen leaks halt Artemis 2 fueling test; NASA plans second wet dress rehearsal

NASA halted the Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal after hydrogen leaks were detected during the terminal countdown, marking a second such issue after Artemis 1. The initial leak during fast fill was addressed by warming a quick-disconnect seal; the later leak during core-stage pressurization is under investigation. NASA plans a second WDR to test fixes, with no launch in the current Feb. 11 window and the next opportunity set for March 6–11; there is no plan to roll the rocket back to the VAB. The test nonetheless yielded useful data, including operations with a larger LH2 storage tank and hatch closures, as Artemis 2 remains the first crewed lunar vicinity mission in more than 50 years.

via SpaceNews|

#artemis-2 #hydrogen-leak #nasa

space-exploration1 month ago•54 min saved

Artemis 2's hydrogen leaks persist as NASA pushes toward March launch

NASA’s Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal exposed persistent hydrogen leaks at the Space Launch System tail service mast, a problem that plagued Artemis 1. Engineers say leaks stem from bespoke cryogenic hardware and stresses from rollout; officials note the leak was stabilized to acceptable levels and a wealth of data was gathered, but it hasn’t been eliminated. The team postponed February’s window to March to allow pad-side fixes and further testing before a crewed lunar mission around the Moon.

via Space|

#artemis-2 #hydrogen-leak #orion

space1 month ago•4 min saved

Artemis II delayed to March after hydrogen leak halts dress rehearsal

NASA has postponed Artemis II from February to March after a hydrogen leak at the tail service mast umbilical halted a wet dress rehearsal; the countdown was stopped just before launch and engineers will conduct additional testing and repairs before the mission can launch in the March window (March 6–11). The four-astronaut crew remains in Houston during the delay.

via Spaceflight Now|

#artemis-ii #hydrogen-leak #nasa

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Artemis II Moved to March After Hydrogen Leaks Halt Moon-Flight Prep

NASA postponed Artemis II to March after a hydrogen leak scrubbed the wet dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center, delaying the first crewed around-the-M Moon flight in over 50 years; the test surfaced hydrogen-leak issues, a loose valve and audio dropouts, and NASA will review data and conduct a second dress rehearsal before setting a new launch window (earliest March 6).

via The New York Times|

#artemis-ii #hydrogen-leak #nasa