NASA Completes Wet Dress Rehearsal for Agency’s Most Powerful Rocket

NASA Completes Wet Dress Rehearsal for Agency’s Most Powerful Rocket—With One Hiccup

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 02:05 PM ET

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NASA has three different configurations planned for the SLS. The first configuration, Block 1, will have a total thrust of 8.8 million pounds—15 percent more than that of the Saturn V rocket. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA successfully completed a wet dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System (SLS), a major step toward its operational launch.
While a hydrogen leak was encountered, the test largely met its objectives, allowing for propellant tank loading and a simulated launch countdown.
The Orion spacecraft performed optimally during the test.
A final launch date within the August-October launch windows is yet to be confirmed.

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After multiple delays and attempts, on Monday NASA completed a wet dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System (SLS), the agency’s most powerful rocket. The rehearsal wasn’t perfect, but it took the SLS one giant step forward toward becoming operational.

Having previously encountered temperature limit issues, faulty core stage valves, and a liquid oxygen leak, the launch team fully loaded all of the SLS’s propellant tanks. Following that major milestone, NASA proceeded with the terminal launch countdown, where launch day operations are simulated.