US Moon Return 'Super Heavy Rocket' on the Brink [Reading Science]

Final safety inspection halted due to part failure, then resumed

The ultra-large space launch vehicle 'SLS' of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is stationed at Launch Pad 39B of Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final safety inspection procedure, the 'wet dress rehearsal'. Photo by NASA.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The United States' ambitious lunar return project, the 'Artemis' program, is facing a precarious situation. The newly manufactured super heavy rocket, comparable to the Saturn V rocket used during the 1960s and 70s moon landings, encountered issues during its final safety inspection, causing delays and complications.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on the 3rd (local time) that it has canceled the Wet Dress Rehearsal test for the Artemis 1 program's launch vehicle, the Space Launch System (SLS), which had been underway since the 1st. This launch vehicle is scheduled to carry the Orion spacecraft on a test mission to orbit the moon and return between May and June, ahead of the United States' full-scale manned lunar landing.

NASA had positioned the SLS on Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and began the final safety check procedure on the afternoon of the 1st, lasting approximately 45 hours and 40 minutes. The test involved loading about 700,000 gallons (approximately 3.2 million liters) of cryogenic liquid hydrogen and oxygen, followed by a countdown to engine ignition. During this process, checks were made for any fuel or propellant leaks and various equipment malfunctions. The procedure is called a Wet Dress Rehearsal, likened to a wedding dress rehearsal, as it involves "wetting" the fuel and propellant tanks. It is an essential step that rocket launches worldwide undergo. However, this test failed due to a problem at the rocket launch pad. NASA confirmed that a fan responsible for maintaining positive pressure inside the rocket to prevent the ingress of harmful gases malfunctioned. In a statement, NASA explained, "Technicians were unable to safely load fuel and cryogenic propellant into the rocket's core due to the malfunction of the equipment."

NASA plans to resume the rehearsal on Monday, the 4th (local time). Considering the availability of liquid oxygen and hydrogen and other launch schedules, they have decided to proceed. Nearby, on Launch Pad 39A, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch on the 6th for Axiom Space's manned mission (AX-1 mission) to the International Space Station (ISS).

Mike Sarafin, NASA's Artemis 1 program manager, stated, "Technicians are currently repairing the faulty fan," adding, "They will complete the repairs overnight and finish the necessary preparations to load propellant onto the rocket by tomorrow morning (the 4th)."

Meanwhile, NASA is conducting the Artemis program to resume lunar exploration after more than 50 years since the Apollo program, which successfully achieved humanity's first moon landing in 1969 and ended in 1972. A manned lunar landing is planned as early as 2025. The Artemis 1 mission is a performance test of the newly developed SLS and the manned Orion spacecraft. The Orion will be carried empty to lunar orbit and back. If successful, NASA plans to conduct the same test with crew aboard the Orion next year, followed by a manned lunar landing attempt as early as 2025. About ten astronaut candidates have been selected to go to the moon, including Korean-American Johnny Kim.