NASA will now launch Artemis 1 on September 3
What's the story
On August 29, hundreds of thousands of people were left disappointed when NASA waved off the Artemis 1 launch.
Now, the space agency has confirmed that it will make a second attempt at launching the mission on September 3 at 11:47 pm IST (2:17 pm EDT).
Artemis 1 mission will send the Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo in Roman mythology. In the Trojan war, she was defeated by Hera, the queen of gods.
In 2022, an engine is playing Hera and is trying to withhold Artemis 1 from joining the legendary Apollo missions of the past.
NASA, however, is not going to let that happen as it prepares to launch the mission once again.
Second attempt
The mission will have a 2-hour launch window on Saturday
After the launch was waved off, there were talks about a second attempt on Friday. However, NASA has now confirmed that the Artemis 1 will attempt to take off from Cape Canaveral for a second time on Saturday, September 3.
The first integrated test of NASA's Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System rocket, and the ground systems will have a two-hour window on Saturday.
Cause
Why was the first attempt waved off?
On Monday, 40 minutes before the launch, NASA decided to call off Artemis 1's lift-off. The decision was taken due to an issue encountered in one of the four RS-25 engines in the SLS rocket's core stage.
Engines in the core stage are chilled to prevent shock when they start burning the propellants. However, Engine No. 3 failed to pass this test.
New procedure
Chilldown test of the engines will begin earlier than usual
To address the issue that halted Artemis 1's take-off, new fueling procedures are in place. As per the new procedures, the chilldown test of the engines (kick start bleed test) will be performed about 30-45 minutes earlier.
This is similar to what NASA did during the mission's Green Run at Stennis Space Center. The new procedure is expected to do the trick.
Other issues
The integrity of an engine sensor is being questioned
NASA's first attempt at launching Artemis 1 was marred by other issues as well. There was a hydrogen leak in the purge can on the Tail Service Mast Umbilical (TSMU).
Apart from that, the integrity of one of the engine sensors is also in question. NASA doubts that the sensor provided inaccurate data on Monday. However, changing it would cause a long delay.
Insights
How will a Saturday launch help NASA with the mission?
NASA's decision to go for a second attempt this soon has raised some eyebrows. The agency, however, wants additional insights into the problem.
John Honeycutt, NASA's rocket program manager said, "Based on what I've heard from the technical team today, what we need to do is continue to pore over the data and polish up our plan on putting the flight rationale together."