Artemis launch – live: Nasa won’t commit to new launch date lift-off was scrubbed
Momentous lift off of Atemis 1 mission as Nasa live stream reveals potential issues with core stage
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The launch Nasa’s Artemis 1 mission scheduled for Monday morning has been scrubbed due to issues with one of the Moon rocket’s engines.
Lift off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida was set for 08.33 local time (13.33 BST) on Monday, 29 August. The next launch window for Artemis I opens 2 September, with a second back up window opening 5 September.
As of Monday afternoon, Nasa officials said the space agency needs more time to assess the problems encountered during Monday’s launch before they can decide on a new launch date, but for now they are keeping the rocket on the pad and in a configuration that could allow a launch on Friday.
Weather conditions were favourable for launch Monday, despite some concerning lightning strikes over the weekend, and weather was not a direct cause for the scrub.
Artemis 1 is the first flight for Nasa’s fiant Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule, serving as a crucial test for making sure all the related systems function properly in space ahead of the first humans climbing aboard Artemis 2 in 2023.
You can follow all the latest news and updates in our live blog below, and watch a live stream of the Artemis 1 rocket launch from Nasa TV at the top of this page.
What is Nasa’s Space Launch System?
Nasa’s Space Launch System, or SLS, is the largest rocket constructed since the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo program.
In its current configuration known as Block 1, SLS consists of a core booster field by liquid hydrogen and oxygen with two solid rocket boosters mounted on its sides reminiscent of the Space Shuttle, altogether capable of producing 8.8 million pounds of thrust. That’s about 15 per cent more thrust than the Saturn V — when it launches on 29 August, SLS will be the most powerful rocket ever launched.
Together with the Orion spacecraft at its apex, SLS stands 322 feet tall, and can lift more than 90 tons into low Earth orbit. Together with the SLS Block 1 upper stage, known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, the launch system can deliver 27 tons of payload to the Moon.
Rollout of SLS rocket pushed back to 9.30pm EDT
Nasa has pushed back this evening’s rollout of the SLS and Orion until no earlier than 9.30pm EDT, leaving open the possibility the first movement of the big rocket could take place even later than the initial 9pm target.
Once SLS exits the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center where workers have readied the launch vehicle for flight, it will take around 10 hours to crawl slowly toward Launch Complex 39B.
The rocket, with the Orion spacecraft at its top, will remain on the launch pad until what is hopefully a successful launch of the Artemis I mission on 29 August, or either of the back up launch windows on 2 and 5 September.
The delay in the rollout this evening is on the balance rather small, so far, given Nasa pushed the date for the roll out up three days; SLS was originally set to stay in the VAB until Friday.
All lit up
Although Nasa has delayed the roll out of the SLS rocket by at least a half hour until 9.30pm EDT or later Tuesday evening, the space agency has shared images of the mobile launcher that holds the rocket on social media.
In an image tweeted by Nasa’s Exploration Ground System’s Twitter account after 8pm EDT Tuesday, the mobile launcher can be seen lit up in the massive doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, and against a dusky sky.
SLS rollout pushed back to no earlier than 10pm EDT
Nasa has pushed back the SLS rollout once again, this time targeting no earlier than 10pm EDT Tuesday evening, according to a tweet posted by the Kennedy Space Center account.
The mobile launch on which the big rocket stands is clearly visible in the doorway of the Vehicle Assembly Building in the picture accompanying the tweet.
Potential foul weather cause of delay in rollout
According to a tweet by the Twitter account of Nasa’s Exloration Ground Systems, which manages the SLS rollout and pre-launch activities, potential storms in the area of Kennedy Space Center are the cause of the delay in the big rocket’s rollout.
Nasa had targeted a 9 p.m. roll out Tuesday evening, but the space agency now expects the big rocker will roll out no earlier than 10pm EDT
SLS rollout begins
Nasa’s SLS rocket has begun its slow roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, according to a Tweet by the center’s Twitter account.
As of 10.08pm EDT however, it’s still hard to make much out in the Kennedy Space Center Youtube live stream of the roll out.
Alternative to Nasa’s dark live feed
Nasa’s designated live feed of the roll out of its big SLS Moon rocket appears to be set up on the wrong side of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center, but there are alternatives for those viewers who want to see the roll out.
The center’s live feed on Youtube continues to show a dimly lit building 20 minutes after the SLS rocket began rolling out of the VAB at 10pm EDT.
As an alternative, Nasa’s Exploration Ground Systems Facebook account is offering a Facebook live video involving interviews with astronauts in front of the big door of the VAB, with the SLS and mobile launcher visible in the background.
As of 10.21pm EDT, the SLS rocket can be seen nearly fully out of the VAB, the first few steps of what will be a nearly four mile, 10 hour journey to Launch Complex 39B.
The big SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft it carries will launch from 39B no sooner than 8.33am EDT on 29 August.
Nasa says mission ‘go for launch’
Artemis I mission is ready for launch, Nasa announced on Monday.
The space agency’s Flight Readiness Review assessed the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft currently at the launchpad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
It concluded that the mission is a “go for launch,” Nasa associate administrator Bob Cabana said at a press briefing.
Teams are working toward a two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 AM EDT Monday, 29 August, from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B, the agency said.
Nasa predicts favourable weather for Artemis launch
In a blog post on Sunday, Nasa said the weather forecast looked favourable ahead of Monday’s launch:
“Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force Space Launch Delta 45 predict an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions at the beginning of the two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 a.m. EDT Aug. 29, with a 60% change of favorable weather conditions toward the later part of the window. The primary weather concern for the two-hour launch window remains scattered rain showers. The weather guidelines for NASA’s Artemis I flight test identify conditions to launch the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft.”
Read Nasa’s full post ahead of the launch here.
Nasa's big new Moon rocket ready for liftoff
Nasa officials have said all systems appeared “go” for liftoff ahead of Monday's planned launch of the space agency’s powerful new Moon rocket.
The Nasa test director gave the “go” for rocket booster power up, and all non-essential personnel at the Kennedy Space Center left the launch pad area in preparation for propellant loading operations, the space agency announced on Sunday.
Weather forecasts say there’s an 80 per cent chance of favourable conditions for launch during the two-hour launch window starting at 8.33 AM EDT on Monday.
If the countdown is halted for any reason, Nasa has set 2 and 5 September as potential backup dates for launch.
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