Updates Artemis II

[MarkWatney2015]

Artemis haters, can we have a moment, please?

Artemis haters, can we have a moment, please?

spacenews.com

 

[jedidia]

Artemis haters, can we have a moment, please?

Artemis haters, can we have a moment, please?

spacenews.com

I've never heard SLS referred to as the "Senate Launch System", that's hilarious!

 

[Fabri91]

Second Wet Dress Rehearsal countdown is now underway:

 

[GLS]

Second Wet Dress Rehearsal countdown is now underway:

Nothing really happens until tanking tomorrow:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2023917945093538285

Official pad view:

 

[MarkWatney2015]

I've never heard SLS referred to as the "Senate Launch System", that's hilarious!

It's from before it was even adopted for the Artemis program

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I've never heard SLS referred to as the "Senate Launch System", that's hilarious!

It also went as the Shelby Launch System after Senator Shelby from Alabama. He was ranking member and later chair of the senate appropriations committee and he made sure any NASA pork projects that could send money to Alabama continued to do so, whether they were a good idea or not.

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024503680892801114

Official live feed of the tanking test

 

[dennis.krenz]

Well, lets see how holy it is.

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024571143970001365

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024589472780759402

 

[N_Molson]

I hope they have a good wind. Can help dissipating the hydrogen fumes.

 

[klmspotter]

haha

 

[GLS]

I just noticed the hatches open towards the exit of the White Room, unlike in the Apollo days, where it opened in the other direction, and thus out of the way...

 

[kuddel]

...so it must be the white-room that is constructed wrong, right?

 

[N_Molson]

HOLD at T-10:00. Reason unknown yet.

Update, engines 'too cold' ?

 

[N_Molson]

Wasn't long, hold has been lifted. Resuming countdown.

Access arm retracted.

 

[N_Molson]

Planned hold at T-90s.

Resuming. Vehicle on internal power.

Holding at T-33s as planned.

Looks like we're good for this WDR

Update : spoke a bit too soon. Turned out there was a 'voltage anomaly with flight avionics' right on the planned hold.

9:04 p.m.

After running through terminal count for the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, the launch team paused the clock at T-33 seconds in the countdown. Teams are now reconfiguring and replenishing the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems, in order to recycle back to the T-10 minute mark and perform another run of terminal count.

As planned, the count was held for three minutes before beginning the recycle.

Having another opportunity to run through terminal count allows the team to practice the recycle operations, which include safing the SLS rocket and getting the propellant tanks back to replenish mode to be ready for terminal count again. The entire recycle process lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

'voltage anomaly with flight avionics' was removed from NASA blog lol.

Launch 'no earlier than March 6th'.

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2024850811818262733

 

[N_Molson]

Looks like we can forget about March ?

 

[GLS]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025249086908125630

After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window. @nasa will continue to provide updates as they become available.


As an update to my earlier post.

- The ICPS helium bottles are used to purge the engines, as well as for LH2 and LOX tank pressurization. The systems did work correctly during WDR1 and WDR2.

- Last evening, the team was unable to get helium flow through the vehicle. This occurred during a routine operation to repressurize the system.

- We observed a similar failure signature on Artemis I.

- The Artemis II vehicle is in a safe configuration, using ground ECS purge for the engines versus the onboard helium supply.

- Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed. It could also be a failed check valve onboard the vehicle, which would be consistent with Artemis I, though corrective actions were taken to minimize reoccurrence on Artemis II.

Regardless of the potential fault, accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB.

As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration.

I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor. During the 1960s, when NASA achieved what most thought was impossible, and what has never been repeated since, there were many setbacks. One historic example is that Neil Armstrong spent less than 11 hours in space on Gemini 8 before his mission ended prematurely due to a technical issue. A little over three years later, he became the first man to walk on the Moon.

There are many differences between the 1960s and today, and expectations should rightfully be high after the time and expense invested in this program. I will say again, the President created Artemis as a program that will far surpass what America achieved during Apollo. We will return in the years ahead, we will build a Moon base, and undertake what should be continuous missions to and from the lunar environment. Where we begin with this architecture and flight rate is not where it will end.

Please expect a more extensive briefing later this week as we outline the path forward, not just for Artemis II, but for subsequent missions, to ensure NASA meets the President’s vision to return to the Moon and, this time, to stay.