These new photos of the @NASA_SLS show an unobstructed view of the rocket with the retraction of 10 work platforms for the Umbilical Release and Retract Test (URRT) inside of High Bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building at @NASAKennedy.
Sound ON 🔊On Sunday, Sept. 19th, teams with Exploration Ground Systems and @JacobsConnects successfully completed the Umbilical Release and Retract Test (URRT) with the mobile launcher and @NASA_SLS inside of High Bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building at @NASAKennedy.
"Release and Retract Test Marks Artemis I Mission Milestone"🔗 go.nasa.gov/3Axj2nx
More images of @NASA_SLS taken around the Umbilical Release and Retract Test (URRT) inside High Bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Teams will continue tests inside the building before transporting @NASA_Orion and stacking it atop the SLS, completing assembly for Artemis I.
Modal testing for SLS and #Artemis is underway! @NASAGroundSys engineers are testing how SLS responds to and dampens out vibrations, including those it will experience during launch. Learn more about modal testing here >> https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/modal-testing-infographic.html
NASA’s Bob Cabana says at a Maryland Space Business Roundtable webinar that modal testing of SLS for Artemis 1 just completed last night; Orion will be installed soon. A firm launch date will come after briefings next week, but “more than likely” early next year.
Four Artemis I CubeSats miss their rideQuoteOCT. 3, 2021–With the Artemis I launch campaign accelerating, four of the planned 14 CubeSats have missed their ride to the Moon. The four nanosatellites—Lunar Flashlight, CU-E3, and the twin Cislunar Explorers—missed their integration window after difficulties meeting the Artemis I launch schedule. The satellites had previously missed their first integration window, but due to delays in Artemis I testing, were given a second chance and were scheduled to arrive at KSC’s Multi-Payload Processing Facility on September 26, 2021, with integration into the Orion Stage Adapter originally scheduled for the 28th alongside the BioSentinel satellite. However, according to insider sources, the four satellites were removed from the integration schedule while BioSentinel, the only other CubeSat remaining to be integrated, was successfully installed into the Orion Stage Adapter on schedule.With the Orion Stage Adapter now scheduled to arrive at the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, October 4, ahead of integration on Tuesday in preparation for Orion stacking, the four CubeSats must now find an alternative ride to the Moon. Haven't found any official confirmation of this yet, but it should come soon if accurate.
OCT. 3, 2021–With the Artemis I launch campaign accelerating, four of the planned 14 CubeSats have missed their ride to the Moon. The four nanosatellites—Lunar Flashlight, CU-E3, and the twin Cislunar Explorers—missed their integration window after difficulties meeting the Artemis I launch schedule. The satellites had previously missed their first integration window, but due to delays in Artemis I testing, were given a second chance and were scheduled to arrive at KSC’s Multi-Payload Processing Facility on September 26, 2021, with integration into the Orion Stage Adapter originally scheduled for the 28th alongside the BioSentinel satellite. However, according to insider sources, the four satellites were removed from the integration schedule while BioSentinel, the only other CubeSat remaining to be integrated, was successfully installed into the Orion Stage Adapter on schedule.With the Orion Stage Adapter now scheduled to arrive at the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday, October 4, ahead of integration on Tuesday in preparation for Orion stacking, the four CubeSats must now find an alternative ride to the Moon.
NASA’s Mega Moon Rocket Passes Key Review for Artemis I Mission NASA has completed the design certification review (DCR) for the Space Launch System Program (SLS) rocket ahead of the Artemis I mission to send the Orion spacecraft to the Moon. This close-up view shows the SLS rocket for Artemis I inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 20, 2021. Inside the VAB, the rocket recently completed the umbilical retract and release test and the integrated modal test. With the completion of the SLS design, NASA has now certified the SLS and Orion spacecraft designs, as well as the new Launch Control Center at Kennedy for the Artemis I mission. Image Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux
The #Artemis I mission will be uncrewed, but that doesn’t mean @NASA_Orion will be empty. A manikin — Commander Moonikin Campos — will be used to collect important data for future missions!Our experts will be answering your questions on @Reddit at 2-3pm ET on r/space. Join us!
