What's next for NASA's Artemis I mission after delayed launch?
Over the next few days, NASA engineers will be digging into the hydrogen leak that grounded the lunar rocket on the
They need to figure out if they'll work the seal problem where the super-cooled fuel is pumped into the rocket on the pad or once they roll it back into the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Both locations have their merits and challenges.
"There is a risk versus risk trade. Doing it at the pad, you are exposed to the environmental conditions and we need to build an environmental enclosure to do that. If we do it in the Vehicle Assembly Building — the Vehicle Assembly Building is the environmental enclosure. However, we cannot test this quick disconnect at cryogenic temperatures," said Mike Sarafin, NASA's Artemis mission manager.
Regardless of the leak, a system needs to be reset in the VAB before another launch attempt can be made.
First mission goals
The first mission of the Artemis program is focused on testing the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft that will carry astronauts. So while there are no humans on board, the data gleaned is critical for safety when the four astronauts are perched atop the 322-foot SLS.
"There is understanding, even if people are disappointed. I know people understand that these are matters where safety goes first. And sometimes you just have to make the decisions to delay," said Julie Brisset of UCF’s Florida Space Institute.
So for now, just how long the delay will depend on the progress of repairing a leaky seal.
'We will go when it's ready'
On Saturday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stressed that scrubs are part of the process.
"We will go when it's ready. We don't go until then and especially now on a test flight because we are going to stress test it and test that heat shield and make sure it’s right before we put four humans up on the top of it.”
Nelson stated that this does not presently pose any risk to the timeline for future Artemis missions: Artemis II still is slated for 2024 and Artemis III is still slated for 2025.
"The cost of two scrubs is a lot less than a failure," Nelson said.