Next new moon windows#

Once launched, it will take several days for the spacecraft to reach the Moon, flying around 60 miles (100 kilometers) at its closest approach. Mannequins equipped with sensors are standing in for astronauts on the mission and will record acceleration, vibration and radiation levels.

The purpose of the Artemis 1 mission is to verify that the Orion capsule, which sits atop the SLS rocket, is safe to carry astronauts in the future. Soon after Saturday's launch was scrubbed, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that a next attempt may have to be put off until mid-October because early next month a crew will use the Kennedy Space Center to travel to the International Space Station.Įarly in the morning, launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson had given the go-ahead to start filling the rocket's tanks with cryogenic fuel.Ībout three million liters of ultra-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen were due to be pumped into the spacecraft, but the process soon hit problems, with Artemis mission manager Mike Sarafin later describing the issue as 'not a manageable leak.' The rocket will likely have to be hauled back into its assembly building to undergo certification tests that are carried out periodically. The initial launch attempt on Monday was also halted after engineers detected a fuel leak and a sensor showed that one of the rocket's four main engines was too hot. When you see a scrub, people should gain confidence, not lose confidence.' 'These (are) really incredibly complex machines. The latest postponement 'was the right decision after you develop this kind of leak,' astronaut Victor Glover told reporters. 'Multiple troubleshooting efforts to address the area of the leak. 'The launch director waived off today's Artemis I launch,' NASA said in a statement. Millions around the globe and crowds gathered on beaches in Florida had hoped to witness the historic blastoff of the Space Launch System (SLS), but a leak near the base of the rocket was found as ultra-cold liquid hydrogen was pumped in.

Next new moon windows#

The next possible launch windows according to NASA are September 19 to October 4 and then October 17 to 31. Determined by the position of the Earth and Moon, the current launch period for NASA's Artemis 1 mission ends Tuesday and is 'definitely off the table,' said Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development, at a press conference Saturday, without confirming a new date.