NASA will hold a media teleconference at 5:30 p.m. EDT today, Sunday, April 3, to discuss the status of the final major test with the agencys mega Moon rocket and spacecraft at the launch pad ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I lunar mission.
The approximately two-day test, known as the wet dress rehearsal, began Friday, April 1, and was halted Sunday prior to tanking due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher using two fans. The fans are needed to provide positive pressure to the enclosed areas within the mobile launcher and keep out hazardous gases.Without this capability, technicians are unable to safely proceed with remotely loading the propellants into the rockets core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage.
The test is designed to demonstrate the ability to conduct a full launch countdown at Kennedy Space Centers Launch Pad 39B, including loading and draining cryogenic, or supercold, propellants into the Artemis I rocket.
Teleconference participants include:
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters in Washington
- Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, NASA Exploration Ground Systems program, Kennedy
