SLS lunar rocket will begin to suffer catastrophic damage if it does not go into space

By: Maksim Panasovskyi | 10.11.2022, 22:42
SLS lunar rocket will begin to suffer catastrophic damage if it does not go into space

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) could face irreparable consequences if it does not launch the Space Launch System (SLS) lunar rocket.

Here's What We Know

The day before we wrote that NASA postponed the launch of the rocket from November 14 to November 16 (or 19). The new reason for the postponement of the launch of the Artemis I mission was tropical storm Nicole. However, the agency will not be able to continuously postpone the launch of the lunar rocket.

Both boosters developed by Northrop Grumman will expire in early winter. Work on them was done for nearly two years, and the warranty was issued for one year, after which it was extended for another 12 months. Nevertheless, even the two-year warranty on the boosters expires in a month on Dec. 9 and Dec. 14.

If NASA will not be able to send a rocket into space in November, the mission Artemis I, most likely, will be postponed indefinitely. Specialists from the space agency will be forced to analyze the rocket boosters to extend their lifespan, but there is no guarantee that the procedure will be completed successfully.

But boosters are not the only ones with an expiration date. Other key components are nearing the end of their useful lives. The mobile rig that rolled the SLS with the Orion spacecraft to the launch pad four times is also wearing out. If NASA does not send the SLS into space, then sooner or later the agency will face disastrous consequences - the lunar rocket will simply begin to collapse, and the scale will reach such a size that the situation will not be fixed.

Source: space

Image: CBSNews