Artemis II: Second wet dress rehearsal, live coverage
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - NASA will attempt for a second time to complete a crucial test as it prepares to launch the historic Artemis II mission that will send astronauts on a trip around the moon.
What is a wet dress rehearsal?
The test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, is underway at Kennedy Space Center. It's designed to simulate real-world launch conditions, allowing engineers to identify any potential issues before launch.
During the test, teams power up parts of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft that will carry the astronauts. Teams will also fill the rocket tanks with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic liquid propellant.
NASA will also conduct a practice countdown to a simulated 8:30 p.m. launch time as part of the test.
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NASA teams encountered a liquid hydrogen leak and other issues during the first wet dress rehearsal earlier this month.
The leak and other issues prompted NASA to push back the launch of Artemis II to early March, so teams could complete a second wet dress rehearsal.
If all goes well with this test, NASA has said the mission could launch as early as March 6.
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What is the Artemis II mission?
Artemis II will be the first crewed test flight of NASA's Artemis program.
From left to right, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman stand outside before boarding their Orion spacecraft inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Sp
The mission will send a four-person crew on a 10-day trip around the moon. An Orion capsule will carry four astronauts: NASA's Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist); and Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist).
The trip will mark the first time humans have traveled to the moon in more than 50 years.
NASA hopes the Artemis II mission helps pave the way for future crew missions to the moon and Mars.
The Source: This story was written with information released by NASA and prior FOX 35 reporting.