With the threatening arrival ofHurricane Ian in Florida (it is currently hitting western Cuba), NASA really had no choice but to return, this Monday, September 26, its SLS megalauncher (space launch system) to the shed. A task that is not as simple as it seems since once again it is necessary to move delicately with the tractor the enormous structure of 98 meters high along 6.4 kilometers, from launch pad 39B to the assembly building called VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), without causing tensions that could damage it. It takes about 11 hours.
NASA was counting on the launch of Artemis I on September 27, but…
This weekend, however, NASA had announced that everything was green, after the last checks after the repairs that had forced the postponement of the launch of Artemis I — initially scheduled, let us remember, on August 29 —, and give hope to a maiden flight for this Tuesday, September 27. Hurricane Ian was then considered to be of low threat in the Kennedy Space Center area on Florida’s Atlantic coast. But the latest NOAA weather forecast (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the US Army National Hurricane Center, which they refer to, are less optimistic and have decided otherwise. And since the Space Agency doesn’t want to risk damaging its powerful launcher, it decided to put it away quickly.
Artemis I: should launch cancellation be viewed as a failure?
The engineers will take advantage of this stay at the VAB to carry out maintenance operations and, in particular, to change the batteries, with a useful life of 20 days, of the FTS (Flight Termination System), the launcher’s self-destruct device in case of in-flight problems. the new date of launch of Artemis I not yet…
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