During the wet dress rehearsal, as soon as launch controllers reach the point just prior to the rockets RS-25 engines will spark on launch day, they will recycle back to the T-10 minute point, and then resume the countdown once more after a hold. Often called a “scrub,” launch controllers might decide not to proceed with launch if a technical or weather issue occurs during or prior to the countdown, so showing the capability to get rid of propellants will make sure teams are prepared for various launch day circumstances.
Orion and SLS will roll to the launch pad for a last time about a week prior to launch.
Engineers will perform the final test, called the wet dress rehearsal, of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and Exploration Ground Systems before the Artemis I release at Launch Pad 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The wedding rehearsal will run the Artemis I introduce team through operations to fill propellant into the rockets tanks, carry out a full launch countdown, demonstrate the capability to recycle the countdown clock, and also drain the tanks to offer them a chance to practice the treatments and timelines they will use for launch.
Throughout the approximately two-day test, groups will start by activating the facilities needed for launch and officially beginning the countdown sequence. Team will staff the Launch Control Center at Kennedy and link with staff in the Mission Control Center at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, the Space Force Eastern Range, and the SLS Engineering Support Center at the agencys Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Introduce controllers will power on various rocket and spacecraft systems, along with ground assistance equipment.
Groups will then fill more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic, or extremely cold, propellants including liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket at the launch pad on the mobile launcher according to the comprehensive timeline they will utilize on the real launch day. They will practice every stage of the countdown, consisting of weather condition instructions, pre-planned holds in the countdown, conditioning and renewing the propellants as required, and validation checks.
During the damp gown wedding rehearsal, as soon as launch controllers reach the point right before the rockets RS-25 engines will spark on launch day, they will recycle back to the T-10 minute point, and then resume the countdown as soon as more after a hold. The group will then intentionally stop the countdown at about 10 seconds prior to the simulated liftoff to show stopping a launch and draining the propellants from the rocket. Often called a “scrub,” launch controllers might choose not to proceed with launch if a technical or weather issue arises during or prior to the countdown, so demonstrating the ability to eliminate propellants will guarantee teams are gotten ready for various launch day situations.
A number of days after the wet gown wedding rehearsal, the integrated rocket and spacecraft will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). In the VAB, specialists will extend platforms to reestablish access to a number of parts of the rocket and spacecraft. They will eliminate sensors specifically utilized for tracking during the wet gown rehearsal, charge Orion and other system batteries, stow late-load cargo into Orion, and run last checkouts on a number of elements, to name a few tasks. Orion and SLS will roll to the launch pad for a final time about a week before launch.
NASA will examine data from the practice session before setting a particular target launch date for the Artemis I introduce. The very first in a series of progressively intricate objectives, Artemis I will supply a foundation for human deep area exploration and demonstrate our dedication and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond prior to the very first flight with crew on Artemis II.
