After a major test of the Space Launch System (SLS) earlier this week, NASA officials are eager to launch the Artemis 1 mission next week, weather permitting, Wccftech reported. Officials at the space agency shared an update on Wednesday on tests that loaded the rocket with fuel and oxidizer to test for leaks that hindered liftoff from a launch attempt earlier this month. The test was successful,NASA engineers remain hopeful for next Tuesday’s launch. The biggest concern right now is the weather restrictions,If wind speeds in the surrounding area exceed a certain threshold, it could cause the agency to carry the rocket back to its spacecraft assembly building.
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The conversation was interrupted by technical issues surrounding Tuesday’s weather forecast and the nature of the leak that engineers still had to deal with Wednesday. Now, the NASA team is hopeful that conditions may be favorable for next week’s liftoff; however, they will meet again later Friday to further assess the weather.
A forecast released by the U.S. Space Force earlier Friday put an 80 percent chance of violating weather restrictions. A key concern for NASA is whether it will have to transport the rocket back to its spacecraft assembly building. These maneuvers are a burden on the vehicle and take time, which limits the launch date of the rocket. The space agency currently reserves October 2 as a backup launch attempt if weather proves unfavorable for next Tuesday’s launch.
The U.S. Space Force launch weather forecast states:
The trailing convergence zone between Fiona and the upper-level trough of low pressure sinks southward to Florida today as Fiona moves north. The “back door” will cross the Space Coast later this afternoon, producing some isolated showers and gusts of northeasterly winds. That boundary will continue south of the spaceport Saturday as high pressure builds, reducing winds. On Sunday, the border will move north ahead of a potentially strengthening tropical system in the western Caribbean, gradually shifting shower activity closer to the spaceport. The weather started to deteriorate further Monday through Tuesday as a possible hurricane shifted to the northwest Caribbean Sea. Official forecasts from the National Hurricane Center tracked a possible hurricane over western Cuba early Tuesday before the storm moved into the eastern Gulf near the Florida Keys by midday Tuesday. Deep tropical water vapor will overflow the spaceport on Tuesday, with widespread cloud cover and sporadic showers likely during the launch window. Therefore, we are mainly concerned with cumulus rules, surface electric field rules, and flight limitations through precipitation.
In order for the SLS to remain on the launch pad, the forecast for lightning within 20 nautical miles of the launch pad must be below 10%, the chance of hail must be below 5%, the temperature must be below 40 degrees Celsius, and the peak wind speed must be below 40 knots. For launch, peak winds must be less than 39 knots at liftoff at 133 feet and less than 39 knots at 458 feet.
Transporting the rocket back to the spacecraft assembly building should not affect the repairs made to the rocket to stop its fuel leak. The weatherstrips will stay in their place, which is not a problem. If the rocket returns to the building, the batteries of its flight termination system will be recharged, among other changes.
The system is another key constraint because it must be certified for safety and functionality in front of the Space Force before the rocket can be launched. In that regard, the rocket is fine because range officials have cleared it to launch on Tuesday.