NASA postponed the launch of the Artemis I rocket again. Another attempt to launch the missile will take place on November 16. Last month, NASA was targeting November 14th. The reason for the new delay is Tropical Storm Nicole.
According to NASA There will be a two-hour opening on November 16 during which the Artemis rocket can be launched. If this opening does not materialize, it is possible to set a second date in November for the launch of the missile. It’s November 19.
NASA says it will leave the Artemis I rocket on the launch pad if Tropical Storm Nicole hits. The space agency believes that the SLS rocket can handle the gusts of wind and rain at Nicole without any problems and writes that the spacecraft’s hatches are closed so that no water can seep into them. Other precautions were taken. For example, various parts of the SLS missile were either disabled or received additional protection.
SLS is NASA’s new moon rocket. The spacecraft was designed after the space shuttle stopped flying. The launch of the SLS has been delayed for years due to a host of problems. Initially, the rocket was supposed to take off in 2016, but NASA did not make the first attempt until the end of August. Tweakers wrote next Background article on the history of the missile. The launch was postponed several times, mainly due to leakage of liquid fuel engines that could not be repaired in time. When Tropical Storm Ian hit the US coast in late September, NASA decided to launch the rocket to come back assembly building.