NASA Fails 3rd Fuel Loading Test On Artemis I Rocket, Reattempt On Apr 21 likley

Washington, April 16: NASA failed a third fuel loading rehearsal on the unmanned Artemis I moon rocket system this week but may reattempt another test on April 21 if possible, Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin said. “We are preserving the option to reattempt the wet dress [rehearsal] as early as next week, Thursday [April] the 21 is kind of the earliest time that the team is comfortable doing that,” Sarafin said.

During the third attempt, engineers encountered some issues with the cryogenic loading operations on the hydrogen and liquid oxygen side, Sarafin said. Moreover, while engineers were working to address the issues with cryogenic loading operations, they also discovered a liquid hydrogen leak on the tail service mast unit.

The previous wet dress rehearsal last week was suspended after a faulty valve controlling helium flow was identified, but the issue had been dealt with, according to the the Artemis mission flight director. The Artemis program was created to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars. UNI/SPUTNIK