NASA postpones the rehearsal of a new Megarocket dress

NASA today suspended the last major test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket after pressure issues prevented technicians from safely loading fuel into the rocket. The test – known as wet clothes rehearsal – has been postponed until Monday, April 4 at the earliest, NASA announced at Post on Artemis I live . blog.

“Teams decided to clean up tank operations for rehearsal due to the loss of pressurization capability on the MANPADS,” NASA explained. Some fans on the mobile launch pad — the platform that provides support for the rocket until launch — were unable to maintain positive pressure, which is crucial to fend off dangerous gases. As a result, NASA technicians were unable to “safely proceed” with the fuel loading process.

This kind of rehearsal gets its “wet” label because it’s basically a showcase of all the actions NASA will have to perform on the SLS’ first actual launch, including filling the 322-foot rocket with 700,000 gallons of propellant. at Press Conference On Sunday evening, NASA said its team is currently on the launchpad trying to troubleshoot the problem. The agency says it is on its way to resume rehearsal tomorrow.

The test originally started on April 1 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and was supposed to wrap up on Sunday. NASA experienced some severe weather Saturday night, like lightning strike The turrets around the SLS launch pad. One of these strikes was one of the most powerful that NASA has seen since the lightning protection system was installed, said Jeremy Parsons, deputy program manager for NASA’s Earth Exploration Systems. “I hit a catenary that runs between the three towers,” Parsons Posted in Tweet From the EGS Twitter account. “The system performed very well and kept SLS and Orion safe.”

The SLS is supposed to carry the Orion spacecraft on an uncrewed mission around the Moon as part of Artemis . programa flight called Artemis I. This mission, tentatively scheduled for this summer, is supposed to get the rocket — and NASA — ready for the mission that It will eventually carry humans to the surface of the moon.

You can continue to check for updates to the test at NASA Live Blogas well as in the agency Twitter.