It’s a second chance. Even though the April mission’s so-called “wet dress rehearsal” was unsuccessful due to problems during refueling last April, NASA had to suspend the tests and move Artemis 1 to the assembly building to repair the damage. The new trial, which began last Saturday, June 18, ended with a successful conclusion on Monday.
It was the first time the US agency managed to load all propellant tanks on the Space Launch System rocket (SLS). There were however some problems. Launch controllers discovered a hydrogen leak during propellant loading operations. They tried to fix it on the spot but were unsuccessful. Officials at NASA stated that such data would have raised red flags in a real launch countdown. However, the mishap was only three hours delayed and not a complete stoppage.
Charlie Blackwell Thompson, Artemis 1’s launch manager, said that it was a “great day” and that she was proud of her team for all they have done. After several delays, the wet test was the final critical test Artemis 1 had to pass before launch. It is expected to take place at the beginning of August, after which it will be delayed several times. The SLS rocket, which is made up of two propellers and a rocket, will launch the Orion capsule into orbit to the Moon. It will do so without the presence of crew on a round trip lasting approximately one month.
Artemis 1 will be part of a series of missions with NASA that aims to land the world’s first woman and first person of color on Moon. This will pave the way for long-term lunar presence, and serve as a springboard to sending astronauts to Mars. . The NASA team will now analyze the results and make recommendations about how to improve and update the launch process.