NASA To Try Again Saturday for Artemis I Moon Launch

Engineers are working to remedy engine chilling issues that prompted Monday’s scrub.

Thom Patterson

Tuesday, August 30, 2022 at 07:19 PM ET

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NASA scrubbed the scheduled launch of the Artemis I uncrewed flight test around the moon. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA has scheduled a second launch attempt for its uncrewed Artemis I mission on Saturday afternoon, September 3, with a two-hour window opening at 2:17 p.m. EDT.
The initial launch on Monday was scrubbed due to a thermal conditioning issue with one of the RS-25 engines, which NASA plans to address by modifying engine chilling procedures for the upcoming attempt.
If Saturday's launch is scrubbed, a backup opportunity is set for Monday, September 5.
This 42-day flight test aims to send the Orion spacecraft to the moon and back, serving as a critical precursor for future crewed lunar missions, including Artemis II as early as 2024.

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After looking at available data and analysis, NASA said Tuesday it would make a second launch attempt of the uncrewed Artemis I and its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket booster Saturday afternoon.

A two-hour launch window is scheduled to open at 2:17 p.m. (EDT) Saturday, officials told reporters during a teleconference. Although there is a 60 percent chance of a weather event Saturday, NASA forecasters said conditions were expected to be good enough for launch at some point during the two-hour window. If the launch is scrubbed Saturday, officials said there would be an opportunity to try for launch on Monday, September 5.