NASA delays launch of Space Launch System to the Moon due to test failure

NASA announced that it is sending SLS from the launch site for repairs due to problems encountered during the final tests. Deadlines for the work have not been set. NASA management will hold a briefing on this incident today, April 18, 2022.

Refueling of the rocket tanks was to take place on April 14th. But after the start of the process, a leak of liquid hydrogen was discovered and the procedure had to be stopped. This part of the test is one of the most important, so it is given special attention.



Initially, it was planned to fill the tanks on April 3, but the deadline was constantly postponed due to emerging technical problems. According to preliminary information, a faulty helium check valve in the upper stage of the Space Launch System is to blame. The leak is not located on the SLS, but on the mobile launcher, which makes it much easier to find the leak and repair it.



Representatives of the agency are confident that the problem will be resolved promptly. It is possible that the repair will be completed before the next stage of testing, scheduled for April 21. However, the decision to remove the module to the vehicle assembly building is not due to the current problem. Were found flaws that require in-depth study. It is possible that this will result in a long-term repair, although there are no prerequisites for this today.

Without a successful refueling test and a rehearsal of the countdown, launch is not possible. Only then will a launch date for SLS, which is part of the Artemis program, be set. This is a lunar exploration project that has been in preparation for several years.

At the first stage of the program, the Orion spacecraft will be sent without a crew to the Earth's satellite. He will be in space for about a month. This will allow all systems to be tested in real conditions and to confirm that the ship and missile are ready for crewed flights.



The shift in the start of the Artemis 1 mission will also affect the second part, originally scheduled for 2024. Within its framework, astronauts will fly around the moon several times. In 2026, an expedition is planned to land in the region of the South Pole of the Moon. According to NASA management, it is critical to complete all work in the coming months in order to launch SLS and move on to the next stages of the program.

Recall that work is also underway in the Russian Federation to create an apparatus for exploring the moon. Its launch is scheduled for the next six months.