Mother Nature is especially naughty with NASA’s long-awaited Artemis 1 lunar mission.
The agency had planned to launch Artemis 1 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) next Monday (November 14). But Tropical Storm Nicole is hitting the Atlantic coast of Florida, so NASA has pushed back the planned liftoff by two days, to November 16.
“Adjusting the target launch date will allow the workforce to meet the needs of their families and homes, and provide ample logistical time to return to launch status after the storm,” said the NASA officials in an emailed statement Tuesday evening (Nov 8).
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Artemis 1, the first mission of NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, will use a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to launch an uncrewed Orion capsule into lunar orbit.
Artemis 1 was originally slated to launch in late August, but issues pushed the target date back a month. And then Hurricane Ian boiled over in the Atlantic, forcing NASA to roll Artemis Stack 1 from KSC’s Launch Pad 39B and back into the massive Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the installation at the end of September.
Artemis 1 remained in the VAB for more than a month, while mission team members carried out various repairs and maintenance. The vehicle returned to the pad on November 4 and will remain there until Nicole lands. The strengthening storm is expected to land in Florida early Thursday as a Category 1 hurricane, according to CNN. (opens in a new tab).
“The SLS rocket is designed to withstand winds of 85 mph (74.4 knots) at the 60-foot level with structural headroom,” NASA officials wrote in Tuesday’s update. “Current forecasts predict that the greatest risks on the platform are high winds that are not expected to exceed the SLS design. The rocket is designed to withstand heavy rain on the launch pad, and the spacecraft’s hatches have been secured to prevent water intrusion.
KSC is currently in a Hurricane (HURCON) III condition, which means site personnel are securing property and equipment and setting up a “rescue team” who will remain at the center throughout the storm to make sure all is well.
The November 16 launch is set to take place during a two-hour window that opens at 1:04 a.m. EST (06:04 GMT). If Artemis 1 lifts off on this date, the mission will end with an ocean immersion by Orion on December 11.
If Artemis 1 can’t fly on November 16, the next launch opportunity will be on November 19, NASA officials said.
Mike Wall is the author of “The low (opens in a new tab)(Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for extraterrestrial life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall (opens in a new tab). Follow us on twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in a new tab) Or on Facebook (opens in a new tab).
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