The US space agency NASA has also canceled the second attempt to launch an unmanned moon mission. NASA spokesman Derrol Nail said it was unable to plug a leak that appeared hours before its scheduled launch on Saturday. Several attempts to solve this problem while refueling “Artemis I” with liquid hydrogen had failed.
Three hours before the start of a possible time window for the start, it was then canceled. At that time, the hydrogen tanks were eleven percent full.
“Safety first”
ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst wrote on Twitter that such problems in test launches of complex systems are not surprising. “After the start attempt is before the start attempt,” the German added. “It’s the right decision. Safety comes first,” Josef Aschbacher, director of the European Space Agency ESA, also wrote on Twitter.
First attempt to start broke down last Monday
A first attempt to launch “Artemis I” was aborted last Monday for several reasons. A tank leak had also occurred and one engine had not cooled down to the desired temperature. In addition to Saturday, NASA also listed Monday, September 5, as other possible launch dates. After the failed start on Saturday, this new date was initially not confirmed. NASA announced a press conference on Saturday afternoon (local time) on the reasons for the demolition and how to proceed.
The unmanned test flight of the “Artemis I” mission, which will last approximately 40 days, is intended to usher in the return to manned flights to the moon. During the mission, NASA plans to launch a space capsule “Orion” using the heavy rocket “Space Launch System” from the Cape Canaveral cosmodrome, then orbit the moon and later land again in the Pacific Ocean.
The aim of the “Artemis I” test flight is to be able to send people back to Earth’s satellite on the “Artemis II” mission in a few years’ time. At the earliest, in 2025, humans will have to land on the moon again, including a woman and a non-white for the first time. There were already problems with previous tests and the original schedule was delayed.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
