After faulty valves, fuel leak stops dress rehearsals for Artemis moon rocket
The Space Launch System (SLS), which is poised to usher a new era in space travel, has undergone another fault as engineers detected liquid hydrogen (LH2) leak on the tail service mast umbilical of the rocket stopping the wet dress rehearsals. The mega-rocket is on the launchpad for the key test to weed out issues before Nasa launches it on a course to the Moon.
The latest fault is located at the base of the mobile launcher and connects to the rocket’s core stage. The leak was discovered when engineers initiated liquid hydrogen loading operations. However, they were unable to complete the process.
"Teams are now working to drain propellant from the rocket. They will inspect the umbilical connection, review data, and establish a go-forward plan to address the hydrogen leak," Nasa said in a blog update.
This time, the launch team managed to load some super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen into the core stage of the 30-story Space Launch System rocket but fell far short of the full amount. Liquid hydrogen is extremely hazardous, with officials noting that the systems had been checked for leaks prior to the test.
Courtesy : Indiatoday
