I do wonder if it would be possible to invest in a more flight-accurate test rig, especially given current SLS cadence makes it hard to get on-pad experience. Granted, the counterpoint may be that the scrubs, while irritating, aren't actually that consequential to the manifest.
Reid Wiseman@astro_reid·3hImmense pride seeing the rocket reach 100% fuel load last night, especially knowing how challenging the scenario was for our launch team doing the dangerous and unforgiving work. The crew just shared a peaceful breakfast with our families and we jump back into training tomorrow to start our preps for a March launch to the Moon.
Getting Ready for Artemis II: Initial takeaways after post-WDR news conferenceQuoteStreamed live 4 Feb 3, 2026I'll run through what was covered in the news conference this afternoon and take questions, following last night's Wet Dress Rehearsal. NASA is now targeting no earlier than Launch Period 18 in March.Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.Clip of Phillip's Question at the Press ConferencePhillips Post WDR comments:https://youtube.com/watch?v=EzdoU5FV1sA
Streamed live 4 Feb 3, 2026I'll run through what was covered in the news conference this afternoon and take questions, following last night's Wet Dress Rehearsal. NASA is now targeting no earlier than Launch Period 18 in March.Imagery is courtesy of NASA, except where noted.
QuoteFollowing the conclusion of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, tune in as agency leaders provide updates on the test and our Artemis II mission around the Moon.Participants will include: • Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator • Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate • Shawn Quinn, program manager, Exploration Ground Systems • John Honeycutt, chair, Artemis II Mission Management Team Engineers pushed through several challenges during the two-day test and met many of the planned objectives. To allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test.
Following the conclusion of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, tune in as agency leaders provide updates on the test and our Artemis II mission around the Moon.Participants will include: • Amit Kshatriya, NASA Associate Administrator • Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate • Shawn Quinn, program manager, Exploration Ground Systems • John Honeycutt, chair, Artemis II Mission Management Team Engineers pushed through several challenges during the two-day test and met many of the planned objectives. To allow teams to review data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test.
That is the LETF was supposed to do. It tested the actual TSMs and umbilical arms that are on the current tower. The only issue would be how accurate were the flight side interfaces.
Quote from: Jim on 02/03/2026 06:08 pmThat is the LETF was supposed to do. It tested the actual TSMs and umbilical arms that are on the current tower. The only issue would be how accurate were the flight side interfaces.A friend speculated that maybe it's the rollout process itself? Maybe they need to just put the TSMU on a shaker at the LETF and see how it fares after. I'm only half joking.
Quote from: jadebenn on 02/04/2026 03:16 amQuote from: Jim on 02/03/2026 06:08 pmThat is the LETF was supposed to do. It tested the actual TSMs and umbilical arms that are on the current tower. The only issue would be how accurate were the flight side interfaces.A friend speculated that maybe it's the rollout process itself? Maybe they need to just put the TSMU on a shaker at the LETF and see how it fares after. I'm only half joking.Yeah, vibration during the roll is one likely culprit. They also impose unusual bending moments on the connections during the roll.Why not just bite the bullet? Roll to the pad with the TSMU disconnected, then erect the scaffolding, and make the connection there?
OSINTdefender@sentdefender·15hA member of NASA’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) stands guard at night in front of the Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida.
DutchSpace@DutchSpace·1mOk, did some digging, as I was fed up with blurry pics.Here it is, in full glory, the LH2 umbilical carrier plate, on the ground (TSMU side) and vehicle (SLS side)
QuoteDutchSpace@DutchSpace·1mOk, did some digging, as I was fed up with blurry pics.Here it is, in full glory, the LH2 umbilical carrier plate, on the ground (TSMU side) and vehicle (SLS side)https://x.com/DutchSpace/status/2019154963218268234
Sep 29, 2021Engineers at KSC successfully completed the Umbilical Release and Retract Test on Sept. 19 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in preparation for the Artemis I mission. During the test, several umbilical arms extended to connect the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the mobile launcher. They swung away from the rocket, just as they will on launch day. The umbilicals will provide power, communications, coolant, and fuel to the rocket and the Orion spacecraft while at the launch pad until they disconnect and retract at ignition and liftoff.
Quote from: sdsds on 02/04/2026 03:38 am[...]Why not just bite the bullet? Roll to the pad with the TSMU disconnected, then erect the scaffolding, and make the connection there?Because a lot of involved folks will point out that rolling out from the VAB to the launch pad, with all the QD connections already hooked up to the LV, is how it's been done since the Apollo days.In that regard NASA in incredibly averse to change.[...] Lots of "not invented here" syndrome and even more of "that's not how it's done!" syndrome.
[...]Why not just bite the bullet? Roll to the pad with the TSMU disconnected, then erect the scaffolding, and make the connection there?
Quote from: sdsds on 02/04/2026 03:38 amWhy not just bite the bullet? Roll to the pad with the TSMU disconnected, then erect the scaffolding, and make the connection there?Because a lot of involved folks will point out that rolling out from the VAB to the launch pad, with all the QD connections already hooked up to the LV, is how it's been done since the Apollo days.In that regard NASA in incredibly averse to change.
Why not just bite the bullet? Roll to the pad with the TSMU disconnected, then erect the scaffolding, and make the connection there?
QuoteDutchSpace@DutchSpace·1mOk, did some digging, as I was fed up with blurry pics.Here it is, in full glory, the LH2 umbilical carrier plate, on the ground (TSMU side) and vehicle (SLS side)https://x.com/DutchSpace/status/2019154963218268234Update: I added the NASA Engineering video that these came fromhttps://youtube.com/watch?v=Lsx98n3RH8Q#t=3991s
During the news conference, I asked about this low flight rate and the challenge of managing a complex rocket that will never be more than anything but an experimental system. The answer from NASA’s top civil servant, Amit Kshatriya, was eye-opening.“You know, you’re right, the flight rate—three years is a long time between the first and second,” NASA’s associate administrator said. “It is going to be experimental, because of going to the Moon in this configuration, with the energies we’re dealing with. And every time we do it these are very bespoke components, they’re in many cases made by incredible craftsmen. … It’s the first time this particular machine has borne witness to cryogens, and how it breathes, and how it vents, and how it wants to leak is something we have to characterize. And so every time we do it, we’re going to have to do that separately.”So there you have it. Every SLS rocket is a work of art, every launch campaign an adventure, every mission subject to excessive delays. It’s definitely not ideal.
Quote from: catdlr on 02/04/2026 08:07 pmQuoteDutchSpace@DutchSpace·1mOk, did some digging, as I was fed up with blurry pics.Here it is, in full glory, the LH2 umbilical carrier plate, on the ground (TSMU side) and vehicle (SLS side)https://x.com/DutchSpace/status/2019154963218268234Update: I added the NASA Engineering video that these came fromhttps://youtube.com/watch?v=Lsx98n3RH8Q#t=3991sNot sure if these images are current. There were some changes after Artemis I that were supposed to prevent what just happened.
The real reason is because doing vehicle checkout in the VAB is the entire point of the VAB. The pad isn't a good environment to be out at doing highly technical work.
