A new failure complicates the mission to the Moon and NASA now has no date to launch Artemis 1

The Artemis 1 mission, the first of a program that will try to bring astronauts to the lunar surface, was suspended again yesterday due to a new error in the SLS rocket, detected three hours before the scheduled launch time.

Five days after the first failed attempt, NASA had to postpone the start of its flagship project for the second time.

Those responsible for the mission announced yesterday that they will not attempt a launch again in the current window, which would end next Tuesday.

Therefore,

, although NASA will give more details early next week, after reviewing the situation.

In addition to the technical problems, which have not stopped emerging during the two launch attempts, there was also concern about the weather in Florida, which is approaching the time of year when storms and hurricanes are most frequent.

It so happens, in fact, that

, near the Azores, but it is moving in the opposite direction (that is, it is coming towards Europe) .

Yesterday's failure was due to a leak of liquid hydrogen, one of the fuels used by the rocket.

After trying unsuccessfully to fix the problem, the US space agency announced that

p.m., three hours before the launch window began.

Liquid hydrogen leaks had already been detected in a general test that took place in April, as well as in the first attempt last Monday, although on that occasion it could be solved.

The failure that caused the suspension on Monday was due to a temperature sensor, NASA discovered after studying what happened.

The engines

to avoid an extreme temperature change when they receive a sudden injection of fuel, at launch.

On Monday, a sensor indicated that the number 3 engine was still 15 to 20 degrees above the desired temperature.

After reviewing the data, the engineers found that the problem was the sensor, which was not reading correctly.

Those responsible for the Artemisa 1 mission must

over the next few days.

Once the current launch window is lost, the mission could be delayed until the end of September, the second half of October or even beyond.

As NASA warns, the launch periods "

" to define a precise trajectory from the Earth -which rotates on its own axis- to the Moon -which revolves around the Earth-.

The result is a pattern where there are approximately two weeks when the launch can be made and another two weeks when it is no longer possible.

Commercial flights... and hurricanes

On this occasion, in addition, there is another problem, since NASA has other commitments and

at the beginning of October, so that the program to conquer the Luna could be postponed until the second half of October, starting on the 17th.

"It will most likely be

, which means in the second half of October," the US space agency said in a message on Twitter.

An added concern is that

, which peaks on September 10.

In fact, both on Monday and yesterday there were times when the viability of the launch was feared due to the weather.

The rocket is surrounded by three immense towers whose function is to act as lightning rods in the event of a storm, and yesterday lightning struck one of them, although the sky had already begun to clear up when a new technical failure forced the mission to be suspended.

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Science.

NASA suspends launch of Artemis to the Moon for the second time

• Writing: ÁNGEL DÍAZMadrid

NASA suspends launch of Artemis to the Moon for the second time

To know more

Science.

NASA delays the launch of Artemis 1, which was scheduled to travel to the Moon, after detecting a technical problem

• Writing: ÁNGEL DÍAZMadrid

• Writing: DINA SÁNCHEZ(Infographics)

NASA delays the launch of Artemis 1, which was scheduled to travel to the Moon, after detecting a technical problem

The hurricane season lasts until November 10

, so the weather would once again be a problem in the launch windows that remain until winter, although it would be expected that it would give a truce in some of them.

It is not yet known when the next attempt will be.

"We won't launch until we're sure it's okay," NASA administrator Bill Nelson insisted yesterday.

NASA officials who accompanied Nelson at the news conference, Jim Free and Mike Sarafin, said it

Vehicle Assembly Building.

.

The task that comes now is to understand the problem that was presented this Saturday and look for solutions, said Mike Sarafin.

Recycled engines that have already flown with the Shuttle

NASA has reused 83 components from the Shuttle program, which began in 1981, in its new STS.

Among them, the four RS-25 engines.

They are pieces of engineering that

, although they have also given some problems.

In any case, they are not new.

Number 3, linked to Monday's suspension, flew six Shuttle missions, according to

.

The engines became for sale in 2008, priced

.

Since no one bought them, NASA proposed giving them away to whoever paid for transportation,

reported in 2010. A year later,

.

But they have not yet been able to debut in this new configuration.

Two countdowns... and too many problems

Hurricane season

It's common for Florida to see storms or hurricanes this season, so it

to try to launch a mission.

Both on Monday and yesterday, there were times when the weather forecasts were not entirely favorable.

Although, in the end, bad weather was not the problem either time.

One difficulty after another

in Monday's countdown

.

First a supposed crack appeared, which turned out not to be such;

Shortly after, a hydrogen leak was observed, which was remedied.

Finally, a fault appeared in engine number 3, but there was no time to fix it.

The Sensor That Didn't Work

NASA called off Monday's launch because an engine couldn't cool down enough.

After reviewing the problem in the following days, NASA determined that the problem was with

.

All set, in theory, for the second attempt...

New hydrogen leak

Yesterday, the technicians detected a

soon as the new countdown began.

They spent several hours trying to fix it, this time without success.

The mission had to be postponed once again.

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