NASA Artemis I Launch Countdown Commences, Group Assessing Lightning Strikes at Launch Pad

NASA’s mission management team for Artemis I met yesterday morning to review the status of operations and have polled “go” to proceed with the launch countdown. The countdown commenced at 10:23 a.m. EDT (7:23 a.m. PDT) on August 27, after the launch team arrived at their stations in the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Throughout the day, teams powered up the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage and prepared the four RS-25 engines.

Meteorologists with Space Launch Delta 45 predict a 70% chance of favorable weather for launch on Monday, August 29. The weather guidelines for NASA’s Artemis I flight test identify conditions to launch the agency’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft.

NASA held a prelaunch media briefing. Participants included:

• Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
• Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
• Judd Freiling, ascent and entry flight director, Johnson
• Rick LaBrode, lead flight director, Johnson
• Melissa Jones, recovery director, Exploration Ground Systems Program, Kennedy
• Melody Lovin, weather officer, Space Launch Delta 45
• Jacob Bleacher, chief exploration scientist, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

Artemis I administration crew supplies a pre-launch briefing following the Mission Administration Group assembly forward of the Artemis I launch. NASA’s House Launch System and Orion spacecraft will launch from the middle’s launch pad 39B on a flight take a look at across the Moon on August 29. The uncrewed mission will exhibit the power of the SLS rocket to securely carry the Orion spacecraft across the Moon and its return and restoration to Earth for the company’s Artemis Program.

NASA additionally held a briefing (embedded above) on their Moon to Mars exploration plans with the following participants:

• Bill Nelson, NASA administrator
• Bhavya Lal, NASA associate administrator for technology, policy, and strategy
• Jim Free, NASA associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
• Kathy Lueders, NASA associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate
• Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate
• Prasun Desai, NASA deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate
• Randy Bresnik, NASA astronaut

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B during a two-hour launch window that opens at 8:33 a.m. EDT (5:33 a.m. PDT) on Monday, August 29.

A lightning strike was recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the evening of April 2, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft were undergoing a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal at the pad for the Artemis I mission. The lightning strike was recorded by cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher using a special filter called a “clear day frame,” which provides an overlay of the raw frame on a reference image. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA

As the Artemis I countdown progresses, rain and thunderstorms continued throughout yesterday afternoon at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier yesterday afternoon, there were three lightning strikes to the lightning protection system towers at Launch Pad 39B – a strike to Tower 1, and two strikes to Tower 2. Fortunately, the initial indications are that the strikes were of low magnitude.

A weather team has begun an assessment that includes collecting voltage and current data, as well as imagery. The data will be shared with a team of experts on electromagnetic environment efforts who will determine if any constraints on vehicle or ground systems were violated. Engineers will conduct a walkdown at the pad overnight, and if needed, conduct additional assessments with subsystems experts.

Check out varied lightning strikes through the years at Launch Complicated 39B at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Florida. The occasion was captured by high-speed cameras stationed on the pad and cellular launcher in addition to the Automobile Meeting Constructing. For the pictures that appear to be in daylight, a particular filter referred to as a “clear day body” was used, which supplies an overlay of the uncooked body on a reference picture. At pad 39B, there are three, 600-foot-tall masts with overhead wires used to transmit electrical power across the perimeter of the pad to offer lightning safety for launch automobiles as they’re processed and launched from the pad. Click on right here to be taught extra in regards to the lightning towers.

The lightning safety system on the launch pad contains three 600-foot-tall towers and catenary wires positioned to guard the rocket, spacecraft, and cellular launcher. The wires run to the bottom nearly diagonally, steering the lightning present away from the rocket.

In a single day, engineers will even conduct preparations on the umbilicals, energy up the core stage, and start charging the Orion and House Launch System core stage batteries.

The primary in a sequence of more and more advanced missions, Artemis I will likely be an uncrewed flight take a look at that can present a basis to increase human presence to the Moon and past. The mission will exhibit the efficiency of the SLS rocket and take a look at Orion’s capabilities over the course of about six weeks because it travels about 40,000 miles past the Moon and again to Earth.