This morning (Saturday, Feb. 21), NASA announced that it had detected a problem with Artemis II's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that has put the Friday launch in jeopardy.
The issue, a helium-flow interruption in the vehicle's upper stage, was noticed overnight from Friday (Feb. 20) to Saturday. It will likely require a rollback from the pad to KSC's huge Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said via X on Saturday.
"This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window," Isaacman said.
This comes less than 24 hours after the press conference celebrating how well the Wet Dress Rehearsal of Artemis II took place concluding with the launch being assigned and listed on Next Spaceflight. At the moment, it has been pushed to April 1st at 6:24PM.
It's worth noticing that this helium flow issue was in the upper stage of the SLS rocket while the majority of the WDR test completed Thursday was to the booster or core stage of the SLS. I don't know if this system gets activated during the WDR or not.
So how about a new world record?
SpaceX to launch Booster 1067 on its 33rd flight tonight
Tonight at 9:18 PM EST (0218 UTC) SpaceX will launch a batch of Starlink v2-mini satellites for their second-generation high-speed low earth orbit internet satellite constellation.
Yes, this is B1067, the fleet leader with 32 missions after a 75 day turnaround from its last record-setting flight. The booster landing will be on A Shortfall Of Gravitas or ASOG.
The first stage of B1067 stands on the ocean-based droneship "Just Read the
Instructions" after performing its record 32nd propulsive landing on Monday,
Dec. 8, 2025. (Image credit: SpaceX - with minor edits to exposure - SiG)
Is NASA actually still building SLS rockets? Teflon seals and all?
ReplyDeleteSIGH. Our Tax dollars at work.
Not just them. All the congress critters that have related businesses in their districts fight any attempts to kill SLS.
DeleteThey were going to kill SLS after the moon landing mission, Artemis III and those folks forced them to add two more.
NASA Teflon? Don't know about that but prior to Apollo, throughout Apollo, Skylab, Shuttle, over 300 apogee insertion missions, and a visit to Saturn on Cassini, Teflon has performed flawlessly.
DeleteMaybe 'something' else is missing at NASA?
The ICPS (Second stage on SLS) needs helium purges turned on when loading cryogenic propellants. The helium keeps the evil nasty hydrogen from mixing with the lovely virginal oxygen until it’s “go time”
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's always good to know details like that.
DeleteAnd that stage is provided by our European "friends".
DeleteI am hard pressed to guess if Isaacman is being played, has some plan or everything is just out of control.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, which ain't much, my guess is that Isaacman is in an asbestos game. He's doing as best as he can in the situation. The reality is it's always a compromise and all the dreams and plans in the world are limited by what can be accomplished. From a practical viewpoint, I'm sure there are people that don't want to do what he wants, maybe some sort of genuine disagreement, maybe they're on someone else's payroll, too.
DeleteThe spice must flow. I can't believe Congress will agree you get to be the head of NASA until you go to the island and make your bones. There has to be some reason to think you won't just put all the old NASA crap on ebay, and buy your launches COTS.
DeleteI'm shocked, shocked I say, to see something wrong with Glorious People's Space Launch System. To the Gulag!!!
ReplyDeleteOr something..
Please, please let someone pull the plug on this turd. Please.
Gonna need a longer launch window calendar.
ReplyDelete