NASA's $4.1 billion Artemis moon rocket, exposed to the elements atop its Kennedy Space Center launch pad, was rocked by high winds and driving rain early Thursday as Hurricane Nicole roared ashore just south of the spaceport.
long-delayed maiden flight
The Space Launch System rocket atop pad 39B Thursday, after weathering high winds and driving rain from Hurricane Nicole. Engineers are assessing possible impacts and readiness to launch the rocket on its maiden flight next Wednesday."Our team is conducting initial visual check outs of the rocket, spacecraft and ground system equipment with the cameras at the launch pad," he tweeted."Camera inspections show very minor damage such as loose caulk and tears in weather coverings.
In the meantime, engineers reviewed telemetry from a variety of sensors, including strain gauges on the hold-down bolts and stabilizer to determine the forces acting on the huge rocket. The Space Launch System rocket is the most powerful ever built for NASA, with a ground-shaking 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff from four shuttle-era main engines and two extended strap-on solid-fuel boosters.
If no major problems are found in the wake of Nicole, and if senior managers decide to press ahead, countdown clocks will start ticking at 1:54 a.m. EST Monday, setting up a launch attempt at 1:04 a.m. Wednesday. The SLS rocket was first rolled to the pad for an initial fueling test last March and has now made seven trips to and from the Vehicle Assembly Building while engineers dealt with multiple fuel leaks and unrelated glitches.
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