Feb 19 β€’ 09:36 UTC πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Έ Spain El Mundo

NASA repeats today the launch rehearsal of the Artemis 2 lunar mission after fuel leaks during the first attempt

NASA is conducting a second general rehearsal for the Artemis 2 lunar mission, following fuel leaks encountered during the first test.

NASA is set to conduct a second wet dress rehearsal for its Artemis 2 lunar mission on Thursday, which will include four astronauts onboard the Orion spacecraft. This critical test involves executing all pre-launch procedures, particularly the sensitive process of filling cryogenic fuel and countdown, excluding the actual launch. The initial rehearsal took place on February 2 but was interrupted due to detected fuel leaks of both liquid hydrogen and oxygen and other technical issues, which forced the team to abort plans for a February launch. Given that the launch window for February was limited to specific dates, the decision was made to postpone the launch to March. This delay has provided the NASA team time to analyze the data collected during the first test, assuring that all systems are ready for the upcoming attempt. The success of this rehearsal is essential for ensuring the safety and functionality of the systems before the mission, which aims to send astronauts around the Moon, adheres to the timeline and planned objectives of the Artemis program. The Artemis program represents a significant leap in NASA's lunar exploration efforts, aiming not only to return humans to the Moon but also to establish a sustainable human presence there. The implications of a successful Artemis 2 mission extend beyond lunar exploration, as it is seen as a precursor to future missions to Mars. Thus, the successful completion of these tests holds considerable significance not just for the immediate goals of the Artemis program but for the larger vision of human space exploration in the coming decades.

πŸ“‘ Similar Coverage