NASA has successfully completed all ground tests of the SLS rocket and is preparing for its third launch attempt

The Container Finished on Wednesday Kennedy Space Centerin Florida, a series of tests in SLS . missile unmanned mission Artemis I It achieved all the goals set despite the discovery of a liquid hydrogen leak.

“All the goals we set ourselves were able to achieve. I am very excited about today’s test,” Artemis I Launch Manager said, Charlie Blackwell ThompsonAt the end of the call,cryogenic demonstration test“.

Shortly after 10 a.m. local time, three hours after the tests began, launch controllers halted the loading of liquid hydrogen in the rocket’s central stage for a few minutes after detecting a leak of that gas.

Filtration in a 20 cm plate in the same part where it was last September 3 Another liquid hydrogen leak found Which caused the mission takeoff to be suspended, occurred when the process changed from slow fuel fill to fast fill.

Routing pointed to the channel NASA TV That the team was able to solve the problem by means of emergency mechanisms, which have proven effective in similar hypothetical situations in the future, and the hydrogen filling process can continue.

Looking forward to the tentative date the next day September 27 to take off from Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA) for this mission that will make an unmanned flight to the moon, Blackwell Thompson He said it was necessary to wait for the tests to be analyzed to see if changes were needed in the hydrogen loading procedures.

During the experimental test of cooling, liquid oxygen was loaded into the middle part of the rocket without problems.

Among the goals of Wednesday’s tests was to check repairs made to the liquid hydrogen feed line, where new seals have been placed.

The launch controllers began slow loading of supercooled liquid hydrogen and oxygen into the main and middle stages of the rocket.

Ultra-cooled liquid hydrogen allows the temperature of the four RS-25 engines to be lowered to a level suitable for take-off Located at the bottom of the 98-meter rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built and of which the Orion capsule is located on the top.

If the next release date is kept on the 27th of this month, The 70-minute launch window will open at 11:37 local time. to take off that day, Orion shipThe rocket, which will be propelled to the Moon, will return to Earth on November 5.

NASA is running as a second launch date of October 2 In that case, the Orion spacecraft will return on November 11, with a 109-minute launch window opening at 2:52 p.m. local time.

.’s first launch attempt Artemis I On August 29, but it was canceled due to a One of four RS-25 engines failed The powerful SLS missile has a height of 98 meters. This was followed by a second attempt on September 3, which was suspended due to a liquid hydrogen leak.

The desired goal isArtemis’ first mission was to test the capabilities of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft Before a manned flight planned in principle in 2024, which will be followed by a third flight for the first time since 1972, American astronauts, including a woman and a person of color, will step on the surface of the moon.

(With information from EFE)

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