NASA managers decide finally to roll SLS back to assembly building
NASA managers this morning finally gave up on launching their SLS rocket in an early October launch window and scheduled rolling back the rocket to the assembly building tonight.
NASA will roll the Artemis I Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, Sept. 26. First motion is targeted for 11 p.m. EDT.
Managers met Monday morning and made the decision based on the latest weather predictions associated with Hurricane Ian, after additional data gathered overnight did not show improving expected conditions for the Kennedy Space Center area. The decision allows time for employees to address the needs of their families and protect the integrated rocket and spacecraft system. The time of first motion also is based on the best predicted conditions for rollback to meet weather criteria for the move.
Based on this graph [pdf] provided by NASA earlier this year, the next launch window is from October 17 to October 31, followed by another from November 12 to November 27. It is unclear whether they can meet that first window, even if all engineers do is check and recharge the flight termination system batteries.
The question of the rocket’s two solid-fueled boosters however looms. Both are now one year past NASA’s use-by date, and it appears somewhat unknown what the risks are using them. Replacing them however will entail a significant delay, from three to six months.
As I said this weekend, NASA managers face no good choice, because of the impractical and inefficient design of this rocket.
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NASA managers this morning finally gave up on launching their SLS rocket in an early October launch window and scheduled rolling back the rocket to the assembly building tonight.
NASA will roll the Artemis I Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, Sept. 26. First motion is targeted for 11 p.m. EDT.
Managers met Monday morning and made the decision based on the latest weather predictions associated with Hurricane Ian, after additional data gathered overnight did not show improving expected conditions for the Kennedy Space Center area. The decision allows time for employees to address the needs of their families and protect the integrated rocket and spacecraft system. The time of first motion also is based on the best predicted conditions for rollback to meet weather criteria for the move.
Based on this graph [pdf] provided by NASA earlier this year, the next launch window is from October 17 to October 31, followed by another from November 12 to November 27. It is unclear whether they can meet that first window, even if all engineers do is check and recharge the flight termination system batteries.
The question of the rocket’s two solid-fueled boosters however looms. Both are now one year past NASA’s use-by date, and it appears somewhat unknown what the risks are using them. Replacing them however will entail a significant delay, from three to six months.
As I said this weekend, NASA managers face no good choice, because of the impractical and inefficient design of this rocket.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
It is unclear whether they can meet that first window, even if all engineers do is check and recharge the flight termination system batteries.
Dr. Zerbucchen just made a statement that seemed to rule out any October launch window attempt. (I suspect SRB restacking is not part of the reason, because there’s just no way they could de-stack the launcher and stack new SRB’s and still launch in any time in November.)
“What we’ve been trying to do over the last few days is really balance those (priorities) and learn more as the hurricane is approaching us,” Zurbuchen told FOX Weather. “The threat at this moment in time has been considered high enough based on all these inputs that it’s just the right thing to roll back, which means that we bring it back and … in the mid to late November timeframe is really the next time we can roll back out and take another shot on goal.”
https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/nasa-to-begin-rolling-back-artemis-1-rocket-to-prepare-for-hurricane-ian
As I said this weekend, NASA managers face no good choice, because of the impractical and inefficient design of this rocket.
This has to be the most fragile and finicky major launch system & GSE I’ve ever seen.
Richard M: To blow my own horn, I have been calling SLS cumbersome and poorly designed since 2011. It never made sense, from either a budget or design perspective.
SLS reminds me of the 1965 film FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX about a collection of ill-matched parts made into an aircraft by a desperate crew and passengers? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bIUOPSzbVM or in real life the D-2 1/2- A Chinese DC3 repaired with a DC2 wing (yes, singular – one DC2 and one DC3) http://cnac.org/aircraft02.htm https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/l03qsq/dc2%C2%BD_dc3_repaired_with_a_wing_of_a_dc2/
Richard M: To blow my own horn, I have been calling SLS cumbersome and poorly designed since 2011. It never made sense, from either a budget or design perspective.
Indeed you have, and rightly so!
It made no sense in 2011 save as a jobs program. It makes even less sense now.
I will be happy for all the NASA schleps who worked on this thing if and when it actually gets into space. But hopefully it will be euthanized before too long. As you have repeatedly contended, NASA has no business operating launch vehicles any longer (let alone such a poorly thought one).