[Reading Science] Artemis 1 'No Abnormalities'... Countdown Has Begun

Scheduled Launch at 1:04 AM on the 16th
Key Issue: Recurrence of Liquid Hydrogen Leak

Reference photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] NASA announced on the morning of the 16th (local time) that it will proceed as scheduled with the launch of Artemis 1, the first phase of humanity's second lunar landing project.

On the 15th, NASA stated that after a final inspection at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the Artemis 1 launch, no issues were found. Accordingly, Artemis 1 is scheduled to launch between 1:04 a.m. and two hours thereafter on the 16th (local time), provided there are no special abnormalities such as fuel leaks.

Artemis 1 is being launched as a preparatory and inspection step for humanity's return to the moon after more than 50 years. Its main mission is to place the Orion spacecraft, loaded on the upper stage, into lunar orbit. Instead of humans, a mannequin will be onboard the Orion spacecraft, which will orbit the moon and then return to Earth. NASA plans to subsequently launch Artemis 2, carrying four crew members, to repeat the same process and test safety. Based on these results, Artemis 3 is expected to be sent around 2025 for humanity's second lunar landing exploration.

NASA conducted six manned lunar explorations from Apollo 11 in 1969 through 1972, but ceased sending humans to the moon due to the end of the Cold War and budget cuts. However, with recent confirmation of water on the moon and the need to establish bases for resource development and Mars exploration, manned landing missions have resumed. NASA believes water exists in ice form underground in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar south pole and plans to mine it for rocket fuel, base construction, and maintenance.

To this end, NASA developed the Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful launch vehicle in human history. It measures a staggering 98 meters in length. Although it is over 10 meters shorter than the Saturn V (110 meters) used during the Apollo lunar exploration program in the 1960s and 1970s, it delivers significantly more power, producing over 15% greater thrust.

Meanwhile, the Artemis 1 launch has faced numerous challenges, and overcoming the issue of liquid hydrogen leakage remains a hurdle in the remaining time, making the final success uncertain. Recently, Hurricane Nicole caused anomalies in the lower part of the Orion capsule's launch abort system and some components, prompting emergency inspections by technicians. Fortunately, it was concluded that there was no critical danger, and the countdown for launch continues. Components of the electrical connection device for the fuel supply line linking the mobile launch platform and the rocket base have also been replaced.

NASA began the countdown at 1:54 a.m. the previous day and plans to start liquid hydrogen fueling at 3:30 p.m. on the 15th, 9 hours and 30 minutes before launch. Weather conditions are forecasted to be favorable with over a 90% probability. However, liquid hydrogen leaks caused delays twice on August 29 and September 3. The third launch attempt on September 27 was canceled due to a hurricane, and the current launch, originally scheduled for the 14th, was postponed again due to Hurricane Nicole. NASA will broadcast the launch live on NASA TV starting at 10:30 p.m. (Korean time 12:30 p.m. on the 16th), about two and a half hours before launch.