The 17th would be the tanking demonstration, the next launch window does not open until the 23rd

I was checking the Saturn 5 wiki article and if the US Congress hadn't been misers and given NASA the extra 20 billion dollars a year just for SLS development and testing at the very least they'd have the SLS equivalent of the SA-500F which would enabled NASA to work out all of the kinks when stacking then testing tanking and detanking procedures on the launch pad before assembling Artemis 1.
 
They will have one unmanned flyby , and later the project will be scrapped. No manned missions to the moon will happen in the near future. I guarantee that.
 
They will have one unmanned flyby , and later the project will be scrapped. No manned missions to the moon will happen in the near future. I guarantee that.

Not going to happen, the SLS rockets for Artemis 2, 3, and 4 are already in production with Artemis 2 nearly complete, there are vested interests in the US Senate that won't let it die any time soon.
 
They will have one unmanned flyby , and later the project will be scrapped. No manned missions to the moon will happen in the near future. I guarantee that.

Not going to happen, the SLS rockets for Artemis 2, 3, and 4 are already in production with Artemis 2 nearly complete, there are vested interests in the US Senate that won't let it die any time soon.
Also if Artemis-1 is successful it will be even harder to stop. Especially if combined with Starship taking longer than forecast to achieve IOC.
 
They will have one unmanned flyby , and later the project will be scrapped. No manned missions to the moon will happen in the near future. I guarantee that.

Not going to happen, the SLS rockets for Artemis 2, 3, and 4 are already in production with Artemis 2 nearly complete, there are vested interests in the US Senate that won't let it die any time soon.
Also if Artemis-1 is successful it will be even harder to stop. Especially if combined with Starship taking longer than forecast to achieve IOC.

Let’s wish that the Artemis 1 launch is going to be successful, whenever it is going to be and that there are no more leak’s on the launch pad.
 

Let’s wish that the Artemis 1 launch is going to be successful, whenever it is going to be and that there are no more leak’s on the launch pad.

I hope its launch is successful and I'm getting very annoyed with these incessant delays.

Same here NMaude, I am another one who is getting extremely annoyed about the delays to the launch of the SLS.
 
look at it this way.... if these delays had not have happened, then the entire program would have been at risk if they had tried to launch. the liquid hydrogen would have leaked down to the motors where it could have caught fire leading to the hoses and tanks. exploding/incinerating the entire rocket and platform. so lets be thankful they caught this when they did because it could have ended quite badly. in the meantime before the next launch window, we should go over the flight path and time stamps.as well as stage separation times.
 
Here i have found on the Orlando Setinel, the launch sequences and entire mission timeline. apologies for the long post.

Thursday: Sept. 1, 2022:
L-46 hours 40 minutes and counting

  • The launch team arrives on their stations and the countdown begins (L-46, 40 minutes hours)
  • Fill the water tank for the sound suppression system (L-46H – L-41H)
  • Liquid Oxygen (LO2)/Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) System Preparations for Vehicle Loading (L-46H – L-37H)
  • The Orion spacecraft is powered up if not already powered at Call to Stations (CTS) (L-42H – L-41H30M)
  • The interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) is Powered-up (L-38H30M – L-35H30M)
  • The core stage is powered up (L-34H – L-33H20M)
  • Final preparations of the four RS-25 engines (L-36H20M – L-31H)
Friday: Sept. 2, 2022:

L-32 hours and counting

  • Core stage composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) Pressurization to Flight Pressure (L-31M – L-22H)
  • Charge Orion Flight Batteries to 100% (L-30H – L-26H)
  • Charge core stage Flight Batteries (L-27H – L-21H)
  • The ICPS is Powered-up for launch (L-18H30M – L-15H30M)
Saturday: Sept. 1, 2022:
L-15 hours and counting

  • All non-essential personnel leave Launch Complex 39B (L-12H – L-10H)
  • Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) Activation (L-11H15M – 9H15M)
  • Air-to-gaseous nitrogen (GN2) Changeover for vehicle cavity inerting (L-10H45M – Launch)
L-9 hours, 40 minutes and counting
  • Built in countdown hold begins (L-9H40M – L-7H10M)
  • Launch team conducts a weather and tanking briefing (L-9H40M – L-8H50M)
  • Launch team decides if they are “go” or “no-go” to begin tanking the rocket (L-8H40M)
  • Core Stage LO2 transfer line chilldown (L-8H15M – L-8H)
L-8 hours and counting
  • Core stage LO2 main propulsion system (MPS) chilldown (L-8H – L-7H20M)
  • Core stage LO2 slow fill (L-7H20M – L-7H5M)
  • Core Stage LO2 fast fill (L-7H5M – L-4H15M)
  • Core Stage LH2 chilldown (L-7H15M – L-7H5M)
  • Core Stage LH2 slow fill start (L-7H5M – L-6H15M)
  • Core Stage LH2 fast fill (L-6H15M – L-5H5M)
  • Core Stage LH2 topping (L-5H5M – L-5H)
6:45 a.m. Coverage begins with commentary of tanking operations to load propellant into the SLS rocket at NASA.gov/nasalive.

L-5 hours and counting

  • Core Stage LH2 replenish (L-5H – Launch)
  • ICPS LH2 ground support equipment (GSE) and tank chilldown (L-4H45M – L-4H30M)
  • ICPS LH2 fast fill start (L-4H30M – L-3H30M)
  • Orion communications system activated (RF to Mission Control) (L-4H20M – L-3H45M)
  • Core stage LO2 topping (L-4H15M– L-3H55M)
  • Core Stage LO2 replenish (L-3H55M – Launch)
  • ICPS L02 MPS chilldown (L-3H55M– L-3H45M)
  • ICPS L02 fast fill (L-3H45M– L-2H55M)
  • ICPS LH2 validation and leak test (L-3H30M – L-3H15M)
  • ICPS LH2 tank topping start (L-3H15M – L-2H55M)
L-3 hours and counting
  • ICPS/Space Launch System (SLS) telemetry data verified with Mission Control and SLS Engineering Support Center (L-2H55M – L-2H45M)
  • ICPS LO2 validation and leak test (L-2H55M – L-2H30M)
  • ICPS LH2 replenish (L-2H50M – Launch)
  • ICPS LO2 topping (L-2H30M – L-2H10M)
  • ICPS LO2 replenish (L-2H10M – Launch)
12:15 p.m. Full coverage begins in English. Launch coverage will continue through translunar injection and spacecraft separation, setting Orion on its path to the Moon at NASA.gov/nasalive.

L-50 minutes and counting

  • Final NASA Test Director briefing is held (L-50M)
L-40 minutes and holding
  • Built in 30-miute countdown hold begins (L-40M)
L-15 minutes and holding
  • The launch director polls the team to ensure they are “go” for launch
T-10 minutes and counting
  • Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) initiates terminal count (T-10M)
  • Orion ascent pyros are armed (T-6M)
  • Orion set to internal power (T-6M)
  • Core Stage LH2 terminate replenish (T-5M57S)
  • Core Stage auxiliary power unit starts (T-4M)
  • Core stage L02 terminate replenish (T-4M)
  • ICPS LO2 terminate replenish (T-3M30S)
  • ICPS switches to internal battery power (T-1M56S)
  • Core stage switches to internal power (T-1M30S)
  • ICPS enters terminal countdown mode (T-1M20S)
  • ICPS LH2 terminate replenish (T-50S)
  • GLS sends “Go for automated launch sequencer” command (T-33S)
  • Core stage flight computer to automated launching sequencer (T-30S)
  • Hydrogen burn off igniters initiated (T-12S)
  • GLS sends the command for core stage engine start (T-10S)
  • RS-25 engines startup (T-6.36S)
T-0
  • Booster ignition, umbilical separation, and liftoff

AFTER LAUNCH

Flight Day 1

2:17 p.m. - Liftoff

2:19:12 p.m. - Solid Rocket Booster separation (Mission Elapsed Time 00:02:12)

2:20:24 p.m. - Service module fairing jettison (MET 00:03:24)

2:20:30 p.m. - Launch abort system jettison (MET 00:03:30)

2:26 p.m. – Core stage main engine cutoff commanded (MET 00:08:04)

2:26:16 p.m. – Core Stage/ICPS separation (MET 00:08:16)

2:36 p.m. – Orion Solar Array Wing Deploy Begins (MET 00:18:20)
  • Approximately 12 minutes in duration
3:10:46 p.m. – Perigee Raise Maneuver (MET 00:53:46)
  • 22 seconds in duration
3:50:21 p.m. – Trans-lunar injection (MET 01:33:21)
  • Approximately 18 minute burn
4:18:26 p.m. – Orion/ICPS separation (MET 02:01:26)

4:19:48 p.m. – Upper Stage Separation Burn (MET 02:02:48)

5:42:26 p.m. – ICPS Disposal Burn (MET 03:25:26)

10:08:21 – Outbound Trajectory Correction-1 burn (MET 07:51:21

Flight Day 2-5 - Outbound transit

Flight day 6-9 - Transit to Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) around the Moon

  • Flight Day 6 (9/8): Outbound Powered Fly-by (burn 8:26 p.m.), Lunar Closest Approach (~60 miles)
Flight Day 10-26 - In DRO
  • Flight Day 10 (9/12): DRO Insertion (burn 11:10 p.m.)
  • Flight Day 10 (9/12): Orion passes Apollo 13 Record
  • Flight Day 13: (9/15): Max distance from Earth
Flight Day 27-32 - Exit DRO
  • Flight Day 27 (9/29): DRO Departure (burn 9:45 p.m.)
Flight Day 33-39 - Return transit
  • Flight Day 33 (10/5): Return Flyby (burn 5:14 p.m.), Second Closest Approach
Flight Day 39 (10/11)- Entry and splashdown (2:10 p.m)
 
Launch of Artemis-1 is now NET 27th September.

This just in: Our #Artemis I flight test around the Moon will launch no earlier than Sept. 27, with a backup opportunity of Oct. 2 under review.
See the blog for details about ongoing work and testing, and potential launch windows: https://go.nasa.gov/3d96Z9u

View: https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1569462916952342540?

I sincerely wish that the Artemis 1 lifts of on the 27th September without faults.
 
Where are the tests of those new spacesuits in NASA`s giant vacuum chamber? Or their Lunar Excursion Module tests in the same chamber? Wouldn`t it be reasonable to test this equipment , and basically all equipment prone to leaks or outgassing( metal welding in vacuum)?
 
This reminds me of the early days of the U.S. rocket program. Rockets (unmanned) exploding on the launch pad or rising a few feet into the air before coming down and exploding. Fueling with liquid hydrogen is not simple but it was done in 1969.

I will add that it is more likely that further missions will be scrapped.
 
This reminds me of the early days of the U.S. rocket program. Rockets (unmanned) exploding on the launch pad or rising a few feet into the air before coming down and exploding. Fueling with liquid hydrogen is not simple but it was done in 1969.

I will add that it is more likely that further missions will be scrapped.
It’s strange people keep saying this even though most evidence suggests that even if this fails the program itself would just keep rolling on.
 
The only thing that might happen is advanced solar panels being installed on the Moon and the power being beamed to Earth. The program has to make money.
 
The only thing that might happen is advanced solar panels being installed on the Moon and the power being beamed to Earth. The program has to make money.

Wouldn’t that require a lot of maintenance? Micrometeroites will shred them unless you use some exotic coating.



 
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I will add that it is more likely that further missions will be scrapped.

No, even if Artemis 1 goes boom on the launchpad or during the first two minutes because its' SRBs have been stacked too long there would be several more attempts as the SRBs, first and stages along with the Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2,3 and 4 are production the first and seconds stages of Artemis 2 are nearly finished (Its' SRB segments have already finished loading in Utah and are currently in storage at the Kennedy Space Centre waiting to be stacked).

Edit: There's a reason why the SLS critics refer to it as the "Senate Launch System".
 
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Where are the tests of those new spacesuits in NASA`s giant vacuum chamber? Or their Lunar Excursion Module tests in the same chamber?

The contract was awarded a few days ago, it's silly to expect Axiom to have a suit ready for testing now. The Artemis lunar lander will be the SpaceX Starship - which is larger than any vacuum chamber on Earth, and again, not ready yet.
 
I will add that it is more likely that further missions will be scrapped.

No, even if Artemis 1 goes boom on the launchpad or during the first two minutes because its' SRBs have been stacked too long there would be several more attempts as the SRBs, first and stages along with the Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2,3 and 4 are production the first and seconds stages of Artemis 2 are nearly finished (Its' SRB segments have already finished loading in Utah and are currently in storage at the Kennedy Space Centre waiting to be stacked).

Edit: There's a reason why the SLS critics refer to it as the "Senate Launch System".

Because they want to use it to launch the Senate into Lunar Orbit?
 
The contract was awarded a few days ago, it's silly to expect Axiom to have a suit ready for testing now. The Artemis lunar lander will be the SpaceX Starship - which is larger than any vacuum chamber on Earth, and again, not ready yet.
Would have been nice to have a working proof of concept/tech demonstrator in advance though.
 

Because they want to use it to launch the Senate into Lunar Orbit?

No, because of all of the pork involved. The SLS is essentially a federal works programme to keep as people as possible gainfully employed on the STS programme after it was rolled up in 2011.

I was joking.
 
View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1571884921316147200


Taking a break from #IAC2022 for a NASA media call on the upcoming SLS tanking test. I cannot escape the (in)famous hold music, even in Paris.

View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1571886764977164289


NASA’s Tom Whitmeyer says that, in addition to preparations for the loading test, it is working in a “proactive and collaborative” way with the Eastern Range on the FTS waiver, expect an update after the test.

View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1571887189092433922


Jeremy Parsons: no technical concerns going into the test, weather looking “pretty good” for Wednesday.

Big focus on this test is a “kindler, gentler” loading of LH2 to reduce pressure and thermal spikes.

View: https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1571888115140247554


Mike Sarafin: saw a “witness mark” on the eight-inch seal they believe came from foreign object debris; did not find the debris that caused it.
 
A quick technical question, if everything on this rocket is expendable, how many more times can they put it through a pressure up cycle ?
 
A quick technical question, if everything on this rocket is expendable, how many more times can they put it through a pressure up cycle ?
great question. the answer is....... well. there is no clear answer. these tanks are engineered to withstand incredible pressure changes and stress from both the inside and outside. so i am confident that they will last long enough to reliably get the launch vehicle to where its headed. but still. there is always a chance that stress fractures could occur. especially with all this depressurizing and repressurizing. so its an understandable risk. however, NASA engineers inspect these tanks thoroughly before each pressurization.
 
NASA Blog update posted at 4:59 PM on September 21st, after the Cryo test.

Artemis Cryogenic Demonstration Test Concludes, All Objectives Met

The launch director has confirmed all objectives have been met for the cryogenic demonstration test, and teams are now proceeding with critical safing activities and preparations for draining the rocket’s tanks. After encountering a hydrogen leak early in the loading process, engineers were able to troubleshoot the issue and proceed with the planned activities.

The four main objectives for the demonstration included assessing the repair to address the hydrogen leak identified on the previous launch attempt, loading propellants into the rocket’s tanks using new procedures, conducting the kick-start bleed, and performing a pre-pressurization test. The new cryogenic loading procedures and ground automation were designed to transition temperature and pressures slowly during tanking to reduce the likelihood of leaks that could be caused by rapid changes in temperature or pressure. After encountering the leak early in the operation, teams further reduced loading pressures to troubleshoot the issue and proceed with the demonstration test. The pre-pressurization test enabled engineers to calibrate the settings used for conditioning the engines during the terminal count and validate timelines before launch day to reduce schedule risk during the countdown on launch day.

Teams will evaluate the data from the test, along with weather and other factors, before confirming readiness to proceed into the next launch opportunity. The rocket remains in a safe configuration as teams assess next steps.

Follow along for updates on of the Artemis I mission.
 

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