In a Joint Integrated Sim for #Orion #Artemis1 since yesterday. Simulating since prelaunch [ops] until the n.2 correctiom burn with faults. NASA Kennedy, Houston and all support rooms in the country are participating. The Anomaly Resolution Team was activated. A spectacular joint event!
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are undergoing integrated testing inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to ensure they are “go” for launch of the Artemis I mission early next year.After stacking the Orion atop the SLS rocket, the engineers completed several tests to ensure the rocket and spacecraft are ready to roll to the launch pad ahead of the Artemis I wet dress rehearsal. These tests included ensuring Orion, the core stage, and boosters can communicate with the ground systems and verification testing to make sure all the pieces of the rocket and spacecraft can power up and connect to the consoles in the Launch control Center.During a recent core stage power test, engineers identified an issue with one of the RS-25 engine flight controllers. The flight controller works as the “brain” for each RS-25 engine, communicating with the SLS rocket to provide precision control of the engine as well as internal health diagnostics. Each controller is equipped with two channels so that there is a back-up, should an issue arise with one of the channels during launch or ascent. In the recent testing, channel B of the controller on engine four failed to power up consistently.The controller had powered up and communicated successfully with the rocket’s computers during preliminary integrated testing, in addition to performing a full duration hot fire during Green Run testing with all four RS-25 engines earlier this year at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. NASA and lead contractor for the RS-25 engines, Aerojet Rocketdyne, also test all RS-25 engines and flight controllers for Artemis missions at Stennis prior to integration with the rocket.After performing a series of inspections and troubleshooting, engineers determined the best course of action is to replace the engine controller, returning the rocket to full functionality and redundancy while continuing to investigate and identify a root cause. NASA is developing a plan and updated schedule to replace the engine controller while continuing integrated testing and reviewing launch opportunities in March and April.Verification testing of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsions Stage is ongoing along with closeouts of the boosters, and parallel work continues with core stage engineering testing. Communication end-to-end testing is underway, and countdown sequence testing will begin as early as next week to demonstrate all SLS and Orion communication systems with the ground infrastructure and launch control center. Integrated testing will culminate with the wet dress rehearsal at historic Launch Complex 39B. NASA will set a target launch date after a successful wet dress rehearsal test.
With the launch of Artemis I only months away, the excitement was palpable inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 13. Dozens of launch team members from NASA and contractor companies met for a joint launch countdown and ascent simulation – one that certified the Kennedy launch team as ready before the inaugural flight of NASA’s massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.NASA launch teams from Kennedy, Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, including the Artemis I Mission Management Team, teams from Space Launch Delta 45 at Cape Canaveral, the Eastern Range, as well as contractors who designed and built the SLS and Orion, and support networks all over the world participated in the joint simulation. “This simulation was designed to emulate the launch day as close as we can and get us to a point where we'll be ready to launch the rocket and spacecraft,” said Jeff Spaulding, who will serve as the lead NASA Test Director for the Artemis I launch.With preparations starting at 5 a.m., the simulation kicked off three hours later and ended at 6:40 p.m., with debriefs going until 8 p.m. The joint launch countdown simulation combined all aspects of fueling the rocket, with several problems intentionally introduced for the teams to discover and work. From cryogenic loading – or propellant fueling – through launch, the simulation comprised all personnel expected to support on launch day, creating the most accurate simulation to date. For prior Artemis I launch simulations, the cryogenic and terminal count portions were simulated in separate events.“The simulations are a cornerstone of a rigorous training and certification process,” said Phil Weber, senior technical integration manager for Exploration Ground Systems and lead launch project engineer for the Artemis I countdown and launch. “You want people sitting on the prime launch team in the control room who are comfortable and certified and have all the requisite training and skills and knowledge to do the functions, especially when the heat and pressure is on.”The Artemis team previously performed a simulation on this scale in July of 2021. Following the most recent certification, smaller teams will continue to rehearse their functions during other launch simulations to ensure their readiness for Artemis I. Then the entire team will come together again for the wet dress rehearsal, when the SLS will roll to the launch pad and experience full cryogenic loading of the core stage and Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, and the launch team will count all the way down to 9.8 seconds.“The number one goal for this particular simulation was our certification run,” Spaulding said. “Our launch team has been going through individual training, systems training, integrated testing training, and getting the rocket and spacecraft ready to go out to the launch pad – all of that training comes together to prepare us for launch day.”The joint integrated simulation marked the 10th cryogenic loading and 12th terminal countdown simulation for Artemis I. As with every simulation, the team identifies items it wants to learn from and tighten up as they move toward wet dress rehearsal and launch, and this certification simulation marked another important milestone after years of preparation, fine-tuning, and forward progress.“I heard a quote one time that said, ‘If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself,’" said Artemis I Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. “Our launch team is continuing to move toward launch together, and this simulation was a demonstration of that. I am confident that on launch day, we will be ready for all that day holds.”With launch certification attained, as well as a mindset to expect the unexpected, the Kennedy launch team is ready to apply their expertise and problem-solving skills to tackle any challenges as it launches the world’s most powerful rocket. Artemis I will be the first integrated flight test of NASA’s deep space exploration system: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond.
Engineers and technicians continue to complete integrated tests inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as part of the lead up to launch of the Artemis I mission.On Dec. 17, the team completed a communications end-to-end test to ensure the rocket, spacecraft and ground equipment can communicate with the consoles in the launch and mission control centers. This verification of communication systems via radio frequency ensures the launch team will be able to monitor the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft on the ground as well as during flight. The test used an antenna in the VAB, another near the pad that will cover the first few seconds of launch, as well as a more powerful antenna that uses the Tracking Data Relay Satellite and the Deep Space Network.On Dec. 20, the Exploration Ground Systems team conducted a countdown sequencing test to demonstrate the ground launch software and ground launch sequencer, which checks for health and status of the vehicle sitting on the pad. The simulated launch countdown tested the responses from SLS and Orion, ensuring the sequencer can run without any issues. On launch day, the ground launch sequencer hands off to the rocket and spacecraft and an automated launch sequencer takes over around 30 seconds before launch. Engineers have added a second sequencing test before rollout to account for differences between the emulator and flight hardware identified during the initial test.Last week engineers and technicians successfully removed and replaced an engine controller from one of four RS-25 engines after the team identified an issue during a power-up test of the rocket’s core stage. Engineers are now performing standard engine controller diagnostic tests and check-outs, including controller power-up and flight software load. Subsequently, the team will work to complete all remaining SLS pre-flight diagnostic tests and hardware closeouts in advance of a mid-February rollout for a wet dress rehearsal in late February. NASA will set a target launch date after a successful wet dress rehearsal test.SLS will be the most powerful rocket in the world and is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission. With the Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon and establish long-term exploration in preparation for missions to Mars. SLS and Orion, along with the commercial human landing system and the Gateway that will orbit the Moon, are NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration.
Artemis I Core Stage Engineering Testing CompleteThis week, engineers and technicians successfully completed an engineering test series of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as part of the integrated testing before launch.After replacing and testing one of four RS-25 engine controllers, the team conducted several tests to ensure the massive core stage is ready to roll to the launch pad for the wet dress rehearsal ahead of the Artemis I launch. Engineers and technicians tested communication between the flight computers and other core stage systems and slightly moved the engines to practice the gimbaling they will experience during flight.All four engine controllers were powered up and performed as expected as part of the Artemis I Core Stage engineering tests. Following the power up, engineers successfully performed diagnostic tests on each controller.Up next, the team will conduct a second countdown sequencing test to demonstrate the ground launch software and ground launch sequencer, which checks for health and status of the vehicle while at the pad. The simulated launch countdown tests the responses from SLS and the Orion spacecraft, ensuring the sequencer can run without any issues. After the countdown test and final closeouts are complete, SLS and Orion will head to the launch pad for the first time to complete the wet dress rehearsal test.
According to this NASA engineer, the SLS launch to LC-39B is scheduled for Tuesday, February 15 (this would be a few days ahead of schedule).Quote from: tweetTargeting 2/15 to roll out this beauty to the pad.
Targeting 2/15 to roll out this beauty to the pad.
NASA are inviting media to the launch of Artemis I!https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-launch-of-new-mega-moon-rocket-and-spacecraftEn español: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/la-nasa-invita-a-los-medios-al-lanzamiento-del-nuevo-mega-cohete-y-nave-espacial
