NASA said Wednesday that it had successfully attempted the refueling process for its new rocket, after technical issues halted two attempts a few weeks ago to lift the behemoth from the ground and head toward the Moon.
“The objectives we set out to accomplish, we were able to meet today,” said Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director for the program called Artemis 1.
The unmanned mission hopes to test the new 30-story SLS rocket as well as the unmanned Orion capsule, in preparation for a future trip to the Moon with humans.
In early September, NASA’s last attempt to launch its most powerful rocket yet had to be canceled due to a leak while its cryogenic fuels – liquid hydrogen and oxygen – were being pumped into the rocket’s tanks.
Repairs were made and Wednesday’s test included refilling those tanks.
Although a small hydrogen leak was detected during testing, NASA engineers managed to bring it under control.
Last week NASA said it is now targeting September 27 as the next date for liftoff. October 2 was set as the backup date.
“The team will evaluate data from the test, along with weather and other factors, before confirming preparations to proceed to the next launch opportunity,” NASA said.
When asked about the timing of the next launch attempt, Blackwell-Thompson declined to comment, although she said she was “extremely excited by today’s test.”
US officials are also keeping a close eye on Hurricane Fiona’s trajectory off the coast in the Atlantic.
For the September 27 date to be possible, NASA must obtain a waiver to avoid re-testing the battery on an detonation system used to destroy the rocket if it goes off uncontrollably.
The next mission, Artemis 2, will take astronauts to the Moon without landing on its surface, while the third – set for the mid-2020s – will see the first woman and person of color on lunar soil.
NASA wants to build a lunar space station called Gateway and maintain a continued presence on the Moon to gain insight into how to survive very long space missions, before a mission to Mars in the 2030s .
