[New] Space Launch System / Orion Discussion Thread

[tater]

Not really being reported, but the SLS WDR has sort of started. They powered up this afternoon. Orion is powered up by now. Tomorrow really busy as well.

 

[tater]

 

[tater]

 

 

[tater]

 

 

[tater]

 

 

[tater]

 

 

[tater]

 

[tater]

 

 

[Beccab]

Timer is at something like T-2 hours I believe

[StrandedonEarth]

Also a grass fire near the H2 flare stack, I hear. Someone forgot to get out the weedwhacker…

[Scotius]

So, still not a clean attempt so far - but hopefully nothing major will pop out.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

27 minutes ago, StrandedonEarth said:

Also a grass fire near the H2 flare stack, I hear. Someone forgot to get out the weedwhacker…

Zeesh! 

https://www.space.com/news/live/nasa-artemis-1-moon-mission-updates

"Nail added there are more issues forthcoming: there appears to have been a pressure limit exceeded during fueling in the liquid oxygen for the upper stage, and a small grass fire has emerged nearby the launch pad. 

 

It is unclear what the grass fire was caused by, and agency officials have their cameras on the area to monitor the smoke coming out of the grass.  

 

It is unclear what impacts these issues would have, if any"

Edited June 20, 2022 by JoeSchmuckatelli

[Codraroll]

1 hour ago, JoeSchmuckatelli said:

It is unclear what impacts these issues would have, if any"

"We are apparently feeding too much liquid oxygen into the system, and there are fires appearing nearby for reasons we don't quite understand, but really, what could go wrong?"

Edited June 20, 2022 by Codraroll

[Beccab]

Issues have been solved (the fire is being left on its own), currently at the T-10 mins hold

[tater]

 

[RCgothic]

 

 

 

[tater]

If they scrub they can try again on Saturday.

[tater]

Polling on the option to continue the count to T-9 seconds—which is where they plan to  stop, since that's when they light the RS-25s (?).

They think they can mask a valve issue sensors to continue the count, since the small H2 leak is not a problem given that they will not be lighting the engines anyway.

Would be ideal if they can do this, then work the now understood GSE issue at their leisure.

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by tater

[tater]

T-7 minutes and counting

4:40 milestone came and went

Masked issue passed

33 second passed

29s hold/cutoff

Not sure what that means in terms of what if anything needs doing

[tater]

Safing vehicle.

They expected the vehicle to stop at T-29 because of a flag they knew about (presumably they could not mask that).

[Beccab]

Great attemp overall! WDR#5 is still a concrete possibility given the T-10 minutes issues, but it definitely got much closer than the last times

[tater]

NASA declaring WDR complete. Gottagetthereitis, or sensible choice? If it works, then we'll never know. Glad it's not my call.

[wumpus]

2 hours ago, tater said:

NASA declaring WDR complete. Gottagetthereitis, or sensible choice? If it works, then we'll never know. Glad it's not my call.

They probably figure that they'll be enough stops and aborts on the first attempt so they really don't want to use up the finite number of times they  can refuel the tank.  Just take it down to T-21 and fix it then.

[Beccab]

Important to note however that in case the countdown reaches RS-25 ignition before having an abort, SLS will have to rollback to the VAB for maintainance

[tater]

4 minutes ago, wumpus said:

They probably figure that they'll be enough stops and aborts on the first attempt so they really don't want to use up the finite number of times they  can refuel the tank.  Just take it down to T-21 and fix it then.

Yeah, it's likely not a big deal—but it's the sort of thing that will look bad if something goes really wrong—even if doing another WDR might not have caught it. It's tough on the people pulling the trigger.