IN THE GARAGE – NASA repatriated its SLS rocket to the assembly building on Wednesday after a malfunction. This pushes the launch of the Artemis 2 manned lunar mission to April at the earliest
In the United States, the schedule for the Artemis 2 mission will not be kept. On Wednesday, NASA began repatriating its SLS lunar rocket to the Kennedy Space Center assembly building in order to carry out repairs, an operation which postpones the takeoff of this manned mission around the Moon, expected for the first time in more than 50 years.
The decision comes after the detection of a malfunction on a helium flow during checks carried out the previous week. The return of the rocket to its hangar is essential to allow the technical teams to intervene. “Whatever the potential failure” at the origin of this problem, “access and resolution of these problems can only be done in the assembly building,” NASA boss Jared Isaacman explained on Saturday.
A takeoff planned for early April
This setback results in a postponement of the initial schedule. Takeoff of the Artémis 2 mission is now envisaged at the earliest in April 2026, a deadline which remains likely to evolve depending on the duration of the repairs and checks necessary before a new transfer to the launch pad.
The 98 meter high SLS rocket was installed at the launch complex in January. On Wednesday, it left the area on its transport platform, which moves very slowly, to reach the assembly building located a few kilometers away. According to NASA, this trip could last until(…)
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