NASA has fixed an issue that required moving its massive Artemis II moon rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly last month.
An issue with the rocket’s helium system that was discovered at the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39B prompted the 4-mile rollback of the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft back into the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs.
NASA says it has solved the problem by replacing a seal that had restricted the flow of helium, which is used to pressurize the rocket’s tanks. Engineers are now investigating how the seal became dislodged in the first place.
During those repairs, NASA also worked on other systems of the rocket, like replacing the batteries of the flight termination system, which have an expiration date. Swapping the batteries allows the rocket to remain at the launch site longer should there be additional delays.
The helium issue cropped up after a successful wet dress rehearsal, a critical fueling and countdown test of launch day activities. The Artemis II mission was inching closer to liftoff before the issue delayed the launch.
Now, teams are preparing to roll the rocket back out to the launch site, which takes nearly a day to move the mobile launch platform carrying the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.
While NASA has not set a date for that rollout, the agency says it is planning for a potential launch in April. Artemis II has launch windows on April 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 30.
Once launched, the Artemis II mission will take a crew of four – three U.S. astronauts and one from Canada – around the moon and back. It will be the first human mission to the moon since 1972.
