(Updated) Artemis I moon mission: Weather favourable for final major test

Weather conditions are still favourable for the Artemis I moon mission's final major test ahead of launch, NASA said on Saturday. The wet dress rehearsal test for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft began on April 1 and will conclude on Sunday, April 3.

The launch team is monitoring the potential for severe weather in the area later today and adjusting planned outdoor activities to remain on schedule, the agency said.

According to NASA, on April 2, at approximately L-35 hours and 20 minutes, the Artemis I launch control team powered up the SLS rocket's core stage, which will be loaded with more than 700,000 gallons of propellants during the tanking phase of the countdown on Sunday, April 3. The teams will charge Orion flight batteries, conduct final preparations on umbilical arms, and conduct a final pre-launch walkdown.

Weather is still a go for #Artemis I wet dress rehearsal. Meteorologists predict favorable weather for tanking on April 3. The launch team is monitoring potential severe weather in the area later today and making adjustments to remain on schedule. More: https://t.co/zREGHTQiN4 pic.twitter.com/ry2Zff5PLE

— NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) April 2, 2022

The uncrewed Artemis I mission will be the first integrated test of the SLS, the most powerful rocket in the world, and Orion, the spacecraft that will carry astronauts from Earth to lunar orbit and back, and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. During this uncrewed flight, Orion will venture thousands of miles beyond the moon over the course of about a four to six-week mission.

In later missions, the agency plans to land the first woman and the first person of colour on the lunar surface.

With Artemis missions, NASA aims to establish the first long-term presence on and around the Moon and use the learning to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.

Update

The Artemis I wet dress rehearsal test was halted Sunday, April 3 prior to tanking due to loss of ability to pressurize the mobile launcher using two fans. NASA is now targeting Monday, April 4, to resume the test.