NASA’s Space Launch System Moves One Step Closer to First Launch

The SLS has returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for minor repairs, preparing to go to space late next month.

Wednesday, July 06, 2022 at 02:25 PM ET

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The rocket’s next trip to the launch pad is expected to be its final stop before Artemis I begins an uncrewed mission around the moon and back. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis I rocket is back in the Vehicle Assembly Building for final checkouts after completing its wet dress rehearsal, addressing issues like a faulty seal, and is now preparing for its uncrewed lunar mission as early as next month.
Development of NASA's next-generation xEMU spacesuits is facing a 20-month delay due to technical challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic, making a lunar landing in late 2024 "not feasible."
The new xEMU spacesuits are designed to significantly improve astronaut mobility and provide essential life support for spacewalks, addressing the limitations of older suit designs for future Artemis missions to the moon and Mars.

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NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis I rocket is back inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to undergo “additional checkouts and activities” in preparation for its journey to the moon, expected as soon as next month.

The rollback of the enormous rocket to the VAB on Saturday followed a second wet dress rehearsal on Launch Pad 39B, where engineers found a faulty seal on the quick disconnect for an umbilical cord that runs between the tail service mast and the rocket’s core stage.