SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA
Professionals continue to prepare the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis I inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
During work to repair the source of a hydrogen leak, engineers determined a loose fitting on the inside wall of the rockets engine area, where the fast detach for the liquid hydrogen umbilical connects. The component, called a “collet,” is a fist-sized ring that guides the quick detach throughout assembly operations. Teams will fix the collet by going into the engine section in parallel with other scheduled work for launch preparations.
Service technicians have actually changed the seals on the fast disconnect of the tail service mast umbilical and will reattach the umbilical plate once the loose collet is dealt with. Specialists now are testing the freshly changed seals to ensure there are no extra leaks. Following screening, groups will finish closeouts to ready that section for flight.
NASAs Artemis I Moon rocket– brought atop the crawler-transporter 2– prepares to roll past the iconic countdown clock at the NASA News Center on its method to Launch Complex 39B on June 6, 2022, at the companys Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
Technicians continue work connected with battery activations, and are currently finishing installation of the flight batteries. Groups set up the batteries for the strong rocket boosters and interim cryogenic propulsion phase today and will install the core stage batteries next week.
Next up, groups will begin the flight termination systems operations, which include eliminating the core stage and booster safe and arm gadgets for calibration and eliminating and replacing the command receiver decoders with the flight systems. The safe and arm gadgets are a manual system that put the flight termination system in either a “safe” or “arm” setup while the command receiver decoders decode the command and receive on the rocket if the system is triggered.
On the Orion spacecraft, teams set up a technology demonstration that will test digital help and video collaboration in deep area. Specialists set up Commander Moonikin Campos, who is one of three “travelers” flying aboard Orion to test the spacecrafts systems.
Last work continues to prepare the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Artemis I. Teams have determined placeholder dates for prospective launch opportunities. They include:
During work to fix the source of a hydrogen leak, engineers recognized a loose fitting on the inside wall of the rockets engine area, where the fast disconnect for the liquid hydrogen umbilical connects. Groups will repair the collet by going into the engine section in parallel with other scheduled work for launch preparations.
On the Orion spacecraft, teams installed an innovation presentation that will test digital support and video collaboration in deep area. Specialists set up Commander Moonikin Campos, who is one of 3 “guests” flying aboard Orion to evaluate the spacecrafts systems.
August 29 at 8:33 a.m. EDT (Two-hour launch window); Landing October 10
September 2 at 12:48 p.m. (Two-hour launch window); Landing October 11
September 5 at 5:12 p.m. (90-minute launch window); Landing October 17