KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida – After vsAfter completing a refueling test of its mega moon rocket earlier this week, NASA engineers now have to contend with Tropical Depression Nine that appears to be targeting Florida.
NASA officials plan to provide an update on a possible launch attempt and next steps for the SLS and Orion, which make up the Artemis-1 mission. The moon rocket sits upright on Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center on the east coast of Florida, awaiting a third launch attempt.
After two previous scrubs due to unruly hydrogen leaks and an engine cooling problem, NASA fueled the SLS with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant in a test on Monday to determine if engineers had resolved The problems.
Overall, NASA management called the test a success.
Artemis-1 Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said the tanking test “went very well” and NASA Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Jim Free said tweeted that the team had achieved “all four test goals” and used new propellant loading procedures.
NASA hopes to launch Sept. 27 at 11:37 a.m. EDT. However, it does not depend on the space agency. NASA first needs approval from the Space Force, which oversees the Eastern Range, to extend certification of the flight termination system due to safety requirements. FTS is required on all rockets and would cause the vehicle to self-destruct if it veers off course and threatens the public.
A September 27 launch date and an October 2 backup window are under review by Space Force. NASA needs an answer soon if the agency will launch on Tuesday.
Over the past week, the tropics have become bustling with activity after a slow start to Atlantic hurricane season.
Launch weather officers from the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron will be keeping a close eye on Tropical Depression Nine which is currently tracking through the central Caribbean Sea approximately 600 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
WHAT IS THE “CONE OF UNCERTAINTY” IN HURRICANE FORECASTS?
This particular system will be a factor in any future Artemis launch attempts, as Tropical Depression Nine is expected to become a tropical storm later Friday and escalate into a hurricane and possibly make landfall on the Florida peninsula next week.
The final cone of uncertainty covers the Florida Keys, South Florida and Central Florida, including NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
If a tropical system brings strong winds to Florida’s space coast, NASA would have to roll the 322-foot-tall rocket into the Vehicle Assembly Building. This 2 mph move towards the shed cannot occur with winds above 46 mph.
Check back for updates after the NASA briefing at 12:30 p.m. EDT and stick with FOX Weather for the latest on Tropical Depression Nine.