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Engineers were struggling to dial-in the temperature of core stage engine number three. Tanking of the engines began at 1:14 a.m. ET, but during the engine bleed, engineers found that the engine wasn’t reaching the desired temperature, according to Artemis Launch Control. This was something the teams were hoping to address during the last wet dress rehearsal but were unable to do so, meaning this has been the first opportunity for the teams to see this particular issue live in action.
Capable of generating 8.1 million pounds of thrust, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) will be largest rocket to ever take flight. The rocket is a critical centerpiece to the upcoming Artemis era, in which NASA seeks a permanent return to the lunar environment. The first launch represents Artemis 1, a mission that aims to send an uncrewed Orion capsule on a 42-day journey to the Moon and back. For this flight, three manikins will ride in Orion to measure the stresses that real astronauts would face on the trip.
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It’s all in preparation for Artemis 3, in which NASA hopes to land a man and a woman on the lunar surface. This could take place as early as 2025. You can read all about the Artemis program here.