NASA preparing for cryogenic test of Artemis 1 moon rocket!

NASA is planning to conduct a cryogenic demonstration test by loading cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the Space Launch System (SLS) ahead of launch.

NASA’s Artemis 1 mission to attempt its next launch on September 27. (AFP)

NASA is preparing to launch Artemis 1 on September 27. However, the US space agency will conduct a cryogenic test of Artemis 1 ahead of the launch to confirm that the fuel leak has been resolved. The fuel test of its Artemis 1 moon rocket will be conducted on Wednesday Sept. 21. “Teams will test adding super-cooled fuel to the #Artemis I rocket on Sept. 21 to confirm repairs to an interface for this flight test around the Moon. @NASAArtemis leaders will preview the test in a teleconference on Sept. 19 at 11:30am ET (15:30 UTC): https://go.nasa.gov/3eQf3fL,” tweeted NASA.

The US space agency had to terminate the mission, owing to the leak of liquid hydrogen during the fuelling of the tanks of the rocket engine. As shared by Space.com, “Technicians replaced two seals at the quick disconnect earlier this month, potentially solving the problem.” and now NASA Artemis 1 team will load supercold propellant — liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen — into the SLS on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to conduct the test.

Earlier, Eric Berger of Ars Technica explained that the US space agency has a tolerance for a small amount of hydrogen leakage and anything above a 4 percent concentration of hydrogen near the 'quick disconnect' is considered a flammability hazard.

According to the report, the NASA Artemis spacecraft has an 8-inch diameter line carrying liquid hydrogen into the rocket that “sprung a persistent leak at the inlet, known as a quick-disconnect, leading on board the vehicle".

Nasa's Artemis moon program, will use a Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket to send an Orion capsule to explore lunar orbit. Initially, it was aimed to launch Artemis 1 on Aug. 29, but the planned liftoff was cancelled twice by technical fault.