Image: NASA NASA’s Artemis 1 mission management team has given the all clear for the giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to proceed with their next launch attempt on Wednesday, November 16. The SLS rocket survived relatively unscathed during its exposure to Hurricane Nicole, a Category 1 storm that swept through the West Palm Beach area of ​​Florida on Friday. NASA has a two-hour launch window at 1:04 AM. EST Wednesday. The countdown clock will start at 1:54 AM. on Monday, he said. Instead of turning the SLS back on its nine-hour trip to the Vehicle Assembly Building, NASA chose to tether it to the launch pad.
This will be the third launch attempt of Artemis 1 after technical difficulties forced NASA to abandon the first two attempts. The Artemis 1 mission is a test run around the moon and back to Earth in preparation for future manned missions to the Moon and beyond. Also: What is Artemis? Everything you need to know about NASA’s mission to the new moon According to NASA, the 321-foot (97-meter) SLS rocket is designed to “withstand winds of 85 mph (74.4 knots) at the 60-foot level with structural margin.” Category 1 storms carry winds between 74 mph and 95 mph. The US National Weather Service on Friday reported wind gusts of 100 mph on Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B, where the SLS launches. But it happened at a height of 457 feet above ground level. “There was also a wind gust of 93 mph at 382 feet. However, the highest gusts at lower elevations reported so far were in the 70 to 75 mph range,” it said. NASA SLS engineers said the sustained and peak winds experienced during the storm had no adverse effect on the rocket’s structural strength. There was, however, some minor damage. “While varying maximum winds were measured by sensors at different heights on the pad, all measurements remained below 75% of the SLS design limits, which are also intentionally conservative,” NASA said. “Technicians are also working to repair several small items from the storm. Most repairs involve loose caulk or weatherstripping. An umbilical used to provide purge air or proper environmental conditions to the Orion spacecraft was out of place. The umbilical purge was maintained throughout the storm and has been repositioned to allow for proper recall during launch.Engineers also removed the hard cover over the launch abort system window that was installed before the storm and will inspect the window to confirm that it is fit for launch.”