The journey of commissioning the Webb telescope continues this week with the successful cooling of the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI), through the critical ‘pinch point,' down to its final operating temperature of less than 7 kelvins (-447 degrees Fahrenheit, or -266 degrees Celsius). This was a precondition to completing the seventh and final stage of the …
Liquid oxygen loading into the core stage was automatically halted near the beginning of slow fill operations when temperature readings on the propellant showed it was warmer than intended. The rocket is in a safe configuration while teams troubleshoot and determine a path forward. Engineers believe they understand the issue and are working a …
The launch control team has begun chill down operations and resumed the countdown clock ahead of flowing super cold liquid oxygen (LOX) into the core stage tank. The new T-0 time for today’s test is 3:57 p.m. EDT for the first of the two terminal count runs for the wet dress rehearsal. The process …
At approximately 8:05 a.m. EDT, the launch director gave the “go” to start tanking operations. The countdown will resume at 8:47 a.m. EDT at T-6 hours, 40 minutes. Tanking begins with chilling down the liquid oxygen lines for the core stage. In sequential fashion, liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2) will flow into the …
Teams have extended the current hold in the countdown beyond the planned 1.5 hours. Supply has been reestablished of gaseous nitrogen used to purge oxygen from the rocket prior to tanking operations to ensure a safe environment for propellant loading, but teams need additional time to switch supply from air back to the gaseous nitrogen …
The mission management team chair has given a “go” to proceed with tanking the rocket for the Artemis I wet dress rehearsal test, pending resolution of an issue with an outage at an off-site vendor of gaseous nitrogen used inside the rocket before propellant loading. While a similar issue with a supplier of gaseous nitrogen was …
The Space Launch System rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) and boosters were powered up overnight. Teams are in the process of clearing all non-essential personnel from the launch pad area in preparation for propellant loading operations. At 6 a.m. EDT, or L-8 hours, 40 minutes, the launch team is expected to reach a …
Final preparations on the umbilicals to ensure connectivity between the mobile launcher, the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft were completed this evening. The umbilicals provide power, communications, coolant, and fuel to different parts of the rocket. Additional accessories provide access and stabilize the rocket and spacecraft. During launch, each umbilical releases from its …
Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) Axiom-1 (Ax-1): Public Affairs Office (PAO), Payload, and Commercial Activities: Multiple NASA-sponsored and ESA-sponsored PAO events have been performed, including nine Ice Cube Media Set events, two HAM radio events, and one PAO event between the Ax-1 crew and youth at Space Center Houston. The Ax-1 crew completed activities associated with …
The mission management team for Artemis I met this morning to review the status of operations and continues to press ahead toward terminal countdown for the wet dress rehearsal test. Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 currently predict favorable weather conditions for tanking on April 14. There is currently a 5% …
