This article will be updated as new information becomes available.
The two-hour launch window opens at 7:04 a.m. PT, which is 1 a.m. on the US East Coast. If for some reason the rocket does not fly by 9:04, the launch attempt will have to be postponed a third time, because the Earth and the Moon will no longer be in the correct position relative to each other.
The decision to attempt a launch was made on Monday after analyzing the latest set of problems with the SLS rocket. This time it was caused by Hurricane Nicole, which hit the Florida coast on November 10th. The rocket was already on the launch pad, and it had been decided earlier that it was better to leave it there than try to hastily hide it in the hangar. The high winds and rain didn’t cause significant damage, but they did tear away the thin insulation lining at the top of the SLS. After several days of analysis, it was decided that this was not a serious problem and the launch was planned.
A bumpy road in space
It cannot be hidden new rocket NASA He’s had a lot of problems so far. At the start of its build schedule, it was scheduled to launch in 2016. After six years of delays, it has finally hit the launch pad. It was first tried on 29 August but had to be abandoned due to erroneous readings from one of the sensors in the engines. It turned out to be faulty. Another attempt on 3 September was canceled due to a leak of liquid hydrogen while filling the tanks. Then it was decided to remove the rocket from the launch pad for a more thorough review of various problematic components and the launch preparation procedure itself. The next attempt was scheduled for 27 September but was canceled due to the arrival of Hurricane Ian and the SLS remained in the hangar. The next convenient launch date for the Artemis I mission was November.
Artemis is the name of NASA’s program to return humans to the moon. SLS (Space Launch System) is its key element, so it is the first quantity it is a great and very important test after 11 years of work. The rocket has already been extensively tested and numerous flaws have been fixed, so everything should be fine, but as subsequent failed launch attempts show, there is no guarantee.
The mission plan is to launch the Orion spacecraft (which has already been tested with smaller rockets into Earth orbit) which is generally similar to the Apollo spacecraft, but much larger. It is to be sent to the Moon, which it will orbit for about six days. It will then return to Earth orbit and eventually land in the Pacific Ocean near California. The total time spent in space is expected to be around two weeks. The capsule houses mannequins, recording equipment and scientific experiments. The mission is to test not only the rocket, but also new a ship in long duration flight away from Earth. Even if it doesn’t have a full life support system on board yet.
If all goes as planned, the next SLS flight with Orion is scheduled for spring 2024. This time it’s manned, but it hasn’t landed on the moon yet. Only the third mission, initially scheduled for 2025, is to lead the return of humanity to the Silver Globe. Almost half a century after Apollo 11. Back in better style, because the stay on the moon should last almost a week. Although for now these are only plans, because there are many indications that meeting the 2025 landing date is unlikely.
Upon its maiden flight, the SLS will be the second largest rocket in human history. It won’t beat the one used in the Apollo Saturn V program, but it comes close. It has the potential to carry 95 tons of payload to low orbit and 27 tons to the Moon. For the Saturn V, these figures were 140 and 43.5 tons, respectively, although outwardly the difference in size does not indicate such a difference in potential. SLS is 98 meters high and 8.4 meters wide, Saturn V is 110 meters and 10 meters respectively. The key difference, however, is that today’s ready-to-launch SLS is the first iteration, a far cry from final form. Especially its second stage, activated outside the atmosphere, is a temporary solution. The planned target version of the SLS is to be very close in capabilities to the Saturn V, but that’s still a matter of a decade away. Whenever that happens.
NASA’s new rocket has a very bumpy history and an uncertain future, that we described years ago. Simply put: it was created on the basis of conservative assumptions, the work on it consumed more money and time than expected, and there are rumors that this money would be better spent ordering similar features from private companies like SpaceX. For now, however, there is no talk of ending the SLS program. It has the support of Congress, whose members are willing to award contracts for its construction in their constituencies. However, it is essential that the new rocket performs well in its maiden flight.
