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The Space Launch System rocket from NASA is seen on the launch platform. The Artemis II lunar endeavor may commence as early as March 6.(Image credit: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP via Getty Images)
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NASA is aiming for Friday, March 6 as the most immediate possible launch date for the landmark Artemis II undertaking, which will transport astronauts to the moon for the first time in five decades.
Representatives from the Agency revealed the target date at a news briefing on Feb. 20, subsequent to a successful “wet dress exercise” — a pivotal assessment where the Space Launch System (SLS) lunar rocket is filled with fuel and advanced near the end of the launch procedure — completed on Thursday (Feb. 19).
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“A considerable amount of future work remains,” stated Lori Glaze, NASA’s Moon to Mars program administrator, during the discussion. “Including the post-wet-dress evaluations, some significant undertakings to be carried out at the [launch] platform… plus a multi-day launch preparation assessment that will occur later next week.”
Wet dress doesn’t leak
Thursday’s wet dress trial was the second attempt to fuel the SLS rocket positioned on the lunar launch site. The initial fueling trial, which wrapped up on Feb. 2, was affected by hydrogen spills and numerous additional problems, leading NASA to cancel the test with approximately five minutes remaining on the countdown.
In Thursday’s test, the mission team effectively completed the terminal launch procedure twice, according to NASA.
The agency further stated that new seals have subsequently been affixed to the interface employed to fuel the rocket, successfully suppressing leaks and maintaining hydrogen fuel quantities at acceptable thresholds.
The quartet of astronauts chosen for the Artemis II endeavor. From the left: Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman.
The second simulation encountered a communications error early on, as the Launch Control Facility severed contact with the crew positioned on the earth. The group temporarily switched to secondary channels of communication to sustain fueling before normal communications were reinstated.
“We successfully tanked the SLS rocket completely yesterday within the planned time frame,” said Glaze. “We also demonstrated the launch sequence effectively.”
History in the making
Artemis II is slated to convey four astronauts on a journey around the moon lasting 10 days. This represents the first time NASA is returning humans to the lunar surface in over 50 years, and the first occurrence of a woman and a Black individual being part of a lunar team.
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The crew of four on Artemis II is composed of three NASA astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch. The fourth participant is a Canadian Space Agency astronaut and a mission expert, Jeremy Hansen.
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Comprised of the Orion capsule situated atop the Space Launch System central stage, the 322-foot tall (98 meters) Artemis rocket rates as one of the most forceful rockets built to date — creating 8.8 million pounds of propulsive force upon takeoff.
Provided that it successfully launches, orbits its crew around the moon, and returns to Earth safely, then NASA will have tested systems and collected data to prepare for the Artemis III mission, which intends to land astronauts on the moon in 2028.
NASA intends to establish a sustainable base on the moon via the Artemis Initiative, eventually utilizing the lunar terrain as a launchpad to Mars.
Editor’s note: This report underwent revisions on Feb. 20 at 12:30 p.m. ET to integrate supplementary details concerning the Artemis initiative.
TOPICSNASA
Brandon SpecktorSocial Links NavigationEditor
Brandon acts as the space / physics editor for Live Science. Having more than 20 years’ worth of editorial expertise, his compositions have been featured in The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, CBS.com, the Richard Dawkins Foundation website, and various other platforms. He is a holder of a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona, complemented by minors in journalism and multimedia arts. His interests include black holes, asteroids, comets, and the quest to locate extraterrestrial life.
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NASA starts countdown clock for second Artemis II wet dress rehearsal after rocky first attempt
Watch NASA roll its historic Artemis II moon rocket to the launch pad this weekend