NASA has canceled the launch of its Artemis lunar mission scheduled for today.
The US space agency said the reason was technical problems with one of the rocket engines. The next possible start dates are next Friday and Monday next week. However, before a new date is set, the problem must first be assessed by the NASA teams.
The fact that the launch originally planned for 12:33 p.m. (CEST) from the Cape Canaveral spaceport in Florida might not be possible became increasingly apparent throughout the day. First, the threat of lightning and a possible leak caused delays in refueling the missile.
However, NASA still hoped to be able to use the leeway provided by a two-hour launch window. The technical problems with the rocket propulsion finally destroyed hope.
50 years after the last moon landing
NASA has set itself an ambitious goal: 50 years after the last moon landing, the US space agency wants to send another rocket to the moon. The task of the 42-day unmanned mission Artemis 1 is to test the most powerful launch vehicle (SLS) to date and the “Orion” capsule sitting at the top under real conditions.
The follow-up mission Artemis 2 is intended to bring astronauts into a lunar orbit, with Artemis 3 a moon landing should not be successful before 2025 at the earliest.
