In an impressive effort to advance its Artemis program, NASA workers at the Kennedy Space Center have persevered through rare sub-freezing temperatures to conduct a critical dress-rehearsal countdown. This countdown is paving the way for a crucial fueling test scheduled for Monday, which is key for the upcoming Artemis 2 mission. This mission aims to launch four astronauts on a flight around the moon.
Beginning Saturday evening, the countdown is set to continue until the simulated launch window opens at 9 p.m. EST on Monday. The test faced a slight delay due to anticipated arctic weather affecting Florida’s Space Coast, thereby moving the planned launch date from February 6 to no earlier than the evening of February 8, coinciding with Super Bowl Sunday.
The quartet of astronauts, including commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are currently in pre-flight medical quarantine at Johnson Space Center in Houston. If the fueling test is successful, the team is expected to travel to the Florida spaceport later this week for final launch preparations.
During the test on Monday, the launch team plans to load over 750,000 gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This rehearsal will test loading procedures while ensuring the integrity of the booster’s tanks and propellant system plumbing.
NASA highlighted the importance of the test in a blog post, stating that it will take the launch team through an extensive range of operations. These will include loading cryogenic liquid propellant into the SLS rocket’s tanks, conducting a full countdown, recycling the countdown clock, and practicing draining the tanks in case a scrub is necessary on launch day.
Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson expressed optimism that the team’s recent upgrades and improvements based on past experiences will allow for a smooth fueling operation. This is in contrast to the maiden flight of the SLS rocket in 2022, which encountered multiple leaks and setbacks.
The timeline for the “wet dress” countdown indicates that propellant flow into the SLS rocket will commence just after 11 a.m. on Monday, with plans to have the tanks of the 177-foot-tall core stage and the 45-foot-tall Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage fully loaded by approximately 4:30 p.m.
It’s important to note that no crew members will be onboard during the Monday exercise. Instead, engineers will use this opportunity to simulate real-world conditions and practice various procedures that might be required in the event of unforeseen issues on launch day.
NASA also stressed that since the positions of the Earth and moon constantly change, they have limited launch opportunities in February. With the first two days no longer viable due to the fueling test delay, the remaining potential launch days are February 8, 10, and 11. If technical challenges or adverse weather prevent the SLS from launching by February 11, the Artemis 2 mission will be rescheduled for another launch window from March 6 to 11. This determination allows NASA to stay flexible and adapt to changing conditions while maintaining its ambitious goals for lunar exploration.