The next attempt to launch the SLS rocket will take place no earlier than November. This was stated by representatives of NASA.
Consequences of Hurricane Ian
Initially, the launch of the SLS was supposed to take place at the end of August. But it was postponed several times — first because of engine problems, and then because of a fuel leak. After that, NASA decided to fix the malfunction right on the launch pad without returning the rocket to the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB). This saved time and gave hope that in case of successful repair, the SLS would be able to be launched before the end of September
.NASA engineers really managed to eliminate the fuel leak and conduct a successful test to refuel the rocket. However, nature intervened here.The next day after the repair was completed, a powerful hurricane formed in the Atlantic Ocean, called “Ian”. Under these conditions, NASA has no other options left but to return the SLS to VAB and hope for the best.
“Ian” dealt a powerful blow to Florida. The hurricane claimed the lives of dozens of people and caused multibillion-dollar losses. But VAB coped with its task. During the inspection, the specialists did not find any traces of damage on the SLS. The launch facilities at Cape Canaveral also did not suffer much damage.
New SLS Launch Date
Initially, it was assumed that the next attempt to launch the SLS would take place during the October launch window. But on September 30, NASA announced that it would be postponed to November. The organization motivated this by the desire to give its employees the opportunity to pay more attention to the needs of their families and homes after the hurricane. The extra time will also be used for additional checks of the SLS and launch infrastructure.
The November launch window will be open from November 12 to 27. In the case that the rocket fails to be sent to the Moon on the specified dates, the next launch attempt will be possible as early as December.
According to https://spacenews.com
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