CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After several delays, NASA announced a new date for the next launch attempt of its Space Launch System rocket for the Artemis I mission.
NASA said the 69-minute launch window opens at 12:07 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 14, at Kennedy Space Center.
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The SLS rocket was rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building due to Hurricane Ian last month. The agency said it is aiming for Friday, Nov. 4, to roll the rocket back to Launch Pad 39B.
🚨#Artemis I update:@NASA is targeting Nov.14 for the next launch attempt of the @NASA_SLS rocket and @NASA_Orion spacecraft from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B.
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) October 12, 2022
The rocket and spacecraft will leave the Vehicle Assembly Building as early as Nov.4.
➡️: https://t.co/wVIjL0w55g pic.twitter.com/jKZACqZ8ql
NASA said there is “minimal work” to prepare the rocket for roll out onto the pad.
“Teams will perform standard maintenance to repair minor damage to the foam and cork on the thermal protection system and recharge or replace batteries on the rocket, several secondary payloads, and the flight termination system,” the agency said in a release.
Back-up launch opportunities are on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 1:04 a.m. and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 1:45 a.m.If the rocket takes off on Nov. 14, the mission would be just over 25 days with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, Dec. 9.
The Artemis program is the long-awaited NASA program to take Americans back to the moon and possibly to Mars. The uncrewed first mission will see the Orion spacecraft circle the moon before returning to Earth.
If the first mission is successful, it will be followed by a crewed test mission that will also orbit the moon. If that mission is successful, Artemis III’s goal will be to land on the moon. NASA said Artemis I will take up to 14 days to get to the moon.
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