Over the weekend, NASA mentioned it has known as off Tuesday’s deliberate launch of the Artemis I mission and its Orion spacecraft as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida.
Though Hurricane Ian shouldn’t be anticipated to come back ashore till Thursday, the hurricane’s outer bands might need created antagonistic circumstances for the spacecraft.
NASA mentioned it will resolve on Monday morning whether or not to maneuver Orion off the launching pad, a transfer that might place a big delay on its launch. If NASA retains the spacecraft on the launching pad, it has one other potential launch window on Oct. 2.
The Artemis I mission has been delayed a number of instances since officers first tried to launch it Aug. 29. The spacecraft most not too long ago had points with a hydrogen leak that required NASA to reseal a tank. After performing bleed exams on the tank final week, NASA deliberate on transferring ahead with Tuesday’s launch earlier than Hurricane Ian’s growth.
The following Artemis mission is not scheduled till 2024. Whereas Artemis I shall be unmanned, Artemis II will ship 4 astronauts on a flyby of the moon. Artemis III is predicted to incorporate a crewed mission to the moon’s floor.