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The rocket that is expected to bring Americans back to the moon in 2024 suffered another setback recently, as a major test of its engines failed after just 67 seconds, according to SpaceNews’ Jeff Froust.
Another dry run on Thursday will provide an opportunity for redemption.
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The Space Launch System (SLS) is supposed to be for NASA today what the Saturn V was for the space agency in the 60s and 70s: the workhorse. NASA used the Saturn V to launch 12 of the 15 Apollo missions, including all of those that took astronauts to the moon. Likewise, the SLS will be the launcher of the Artemis program, which aims to bring Americans back to the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions almost 50 years ago.
The test, a “burning fire” of the main stage of the SLS, was carried out by NASA in mid-January and was expected to last a total of about eight minutes. The four rocket motors automatically shut down after just one.
The cancellation occurred during a repeat of the slewing ability of each engine, when a powertrain failed due to low hydraulic pressure. Disturbingly, this hydraulic system had already been checked to some extent in a previous test.
NASA has since described the failure condition that triggered the end of the test as “intentionally conservative,” saying a real launch would simply have transferred power to the failed unit and continued – but it is not. clear whether the power supply unit failure would still be acceptable in this situation. This could (for example) be a sign of other problems.
The timely development of SLS is crucial for the Artemis program. With the launch of its first mission only scheduled for this fall, NASA was at first undecided on whether it should perform another test and might delay.
The SLS has also been a source of controversy since its development began in 2011 and has been touted as a symbol of the cost overruns and delays surrounding NASA’s space exploration projects.
Asa Stahl is a doctoral student in astrophysics at Rice University and the award-winning author of the children’s pop science book “The Big Bang Book”. His research aims to discover planets around other stars in order to answer some of our biggest questions, such as “What is special about Earth?” and “How did we get here?” His recent book was recognized as the winner of the Edward Jack Keats Prize, an Outstanding Scientific Book from NSTA-CBC and a finalist for the Sakura Medal.
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