Space-Siren’s Call: Why Artemis 2 is Returning to the Hangar
In the latest setback for the Artemis 2 mission, NASA said on Saturday that it will move the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) starting February 24. Because of this delay, the first crewed Moon mission since Apollo 17 will now happen no earlier than April.
Just one day earlier, NASA had said it was ready to launch Artemis 2 as soon as March 6, after successfully completing a second wet dress rehearsal (a full fueling test and practice countdown) on February 19. However, on February 21, engineers found a problem when the helium supply to the rocket’s upper stage was unexpectedly interrupted.
Helium is used to keep pressure inside the rocket’s liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks. Without this pressure, the fuel cannot properly flow to the engine, which is needed to push the Orion spacecraft toward the Moon.
It is important to note that the helium system was working fine during the main practice test. The problem was found later during routine checks after the test was completed. This means the issue did not show up during the final major test that was supposed to confirm the rocket was fully ready to fly.
Engineers are trying to find out exactly where the problem is. They are checking the helium pipes that carry the gas, a control valve inside the rocket’s upper stage, and a filter that connects the ground equipment to the rocket.
Until they fix the issue, the team is using a backup system to keep the rocket’s upper stage safe, properly pressurized, and stable, so nothing gets damaged.
This problem is similar to one that happened during the Artemis 1 mission in 2022, when a faulty helium check valve in the same type of upper stage forced NASA to move the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). However, in that case, the issue was found during the wet dress rehearsal test itself.
No matter where the current problem started, the rocket has to be moved back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) before engineers can properly fix it. This 525-foot-tall building, one of the largest buildings in the world by volume, is the only place ever used to put together a rocket that carried humans to another world. Inside the VAB, engineers have large cranes and a controlled indoor environment, which help them safely repair and check the rocket’s upper stage.
To reach the building, the rocket will travel about 6.8 kilometres along a special road at a very slow speed of around 1.6 kilometres per hour, carried by NASA’s huge moving platform called the crawler. The crawler alone weighs about 3,000 tons (without load) and can carry up to 8,100 tons. It uses nearly 165 gallons (624.5 lts) of diesel for every mile it moves, showing how massive and powerful it is.
The launch pad platforms that were set up on February 20 for launch preparations had to be removed first. This was done to protect them from expected strong winds and also to clear the way in case the rocket needed to be moved back. Now that this work is finished, the path is clear for the rocket to return to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) as early as February 24.
Because of the Moon’s flight path requirements, Artemis 2 can launch only during a short window of a few days, and this chance comes about once every four weeks. Due to the helium leak and the repair work needed, the mission will now miss the March 6–11 launch window.
As reported by astronomy.com , the next launch window is from April 1 to April 6, and NASA is now aiming for this period. However, if engineers are unable to fix the problem and prepare the rocket in time, the mission could be delayed even further. The agency will also hold a media briefing in the coming days to give more details.
The Artemis 2 crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch (NASA), and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency) — were released from quarantine and returned to Houston once again.
The crew had first started their usual 14-day pre-launch quarantine on January 23, but they were released early February after the launch was postponed from its planned February window to March.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
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Food delivery agent intervenes to stop street fight in Delhi's Dwarka, stabbed to death
New Delhi (PTI): A 32-year-old food delivery executive was stabbed to death when he allegedly intervened in a violent altercation between two groups in southwest Delhi's Dwarka, police said on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Govind Jha, a resident of Mohan Garden.
Three others sustained stab injuries in the incident and are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, they said.
Authorities also cautioned against attempts to give the incident a communal colour.
According to the police, Jha was on his way to work on Sunday night when he noticed a street fight taking place at Rajapuri in Madhu Vihar area of Dwarka. The altercation involved two men pitted against three others, who were later identified as Parvesh, Anish and Rohit.
"Jha stopped at the spot and attempted to intervene. During the scuffle, the two men allegedly pulled out knives and began stabbing Parvesh, Anish and Rohit. When Jha tried to intervene, he was also attacked," a police officer said.
All four injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Jha succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The other three men are under medical observation.
Police said the accused fled the spot after the incident, and multiple teams have been formed to identify and apprehend them.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh, in a statement, said that some messages circulating on social media are attempting to give a communal angle to the incident.
"In the incident, four people suffered stab injuries and were admitted to the hospital. One person died at the hospital, and the remaining three are undergoing treatment. The victims belong to two different communities. The accused stabbed all four victims. Dwarka Police is conducting a search for the accused," the DCP said.
"There is no communal angle to the incident. Strict action will be taken against those spreading false information," he said.
