Artemis 2: Cold snap delays dress rehearsal
Cold weather and wind are slowing down the Artemis-2 mission. But the weather is not the only thing causing experts headaches before the mission.
Here is NASA's Artemis-2 SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft on a mobile launch platform at Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center (Florida).
(Image: Nasa)
In view of a "rare, arctic" cold snap, as NASA calls it, the US space agency is postponing the dress rehearsal for the Artemis-2 mission. It is now scheduled to take place on February 2nd. Large parts of the USA have been affected by winter storms for a week.
This also means that the launch opportunities on February 6th and 7th will be cancelled. NASA is now giving February 8th as the earliest new launch date as the earliest new launch date. The four-person astronaut crew of the mission remains in quarantine in Houston.
To protect the hardware from the cold, engineers are keeping the Orion spacecraft powered and have configured its heaters for the low temperatures. The live stream showing the rocket on the launch pad continues. Any further delay of the test would also push back the launch date by one day each, according to the space agency.
While these challenges are logistical in nature, there are also technical concerns that experts have raised prior to the flight.
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Criticism of heat shield
One point of criticism concerns the heat shield of the Orion capsule. This was damaged during the uncrewed Artemis-1 mission in 2022 during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Following investigations into the incident, NASA has stated that it can ensure crew safety. As a measure, the re-entry trajectory will be altered to reduce the stress on the heat shield. With Artemis I, a new technique was tested where the capsule "jumps" through the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the agency admits a remaining residual risk.
For former NASA astronaut and heat shield expert Charlie Camarda, this is still too high. According to CNN, he has spent months trying to convince the agency of his warnings. While he also sees a safe return as likely, he warns that a safe flight could lull NASA into a false sense of security in the long run.
Spacesuits too heavy
Further criticism concerns the equipment for future missions of the Artemis program. Former NASA astronaut Kate Rubins particularly criticizes the weight of the new spacesuits, which are being developed by Axiom for future moon landings like Artemis 3. The suits weigh around 140 kilograms.
Rubins, who herself spent almost 300 days in space, describes training in the suits as an "extreme physical event" that leads to complete exhaustion and bruising. This is particularly problematic as astronauts are expected to perform daily extravehicular activities on the moon for eight to nine hours, as opposed to the occasional spacewalks on the International Space Station.
While the new suits offer better mobility than those of the Apollo era due to more joints, this advantage is offset by their high weight. Simple movements like bending down to pick something up require enormous strength to compress the stiff material of the suit, according to Rubins. The current design is a good foundation but needs further development, the experienced astronaut said.
The Moon is the Goal
Artemis 2 is the first crewed test flight as part of NASA's Artemis program. The mission will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a journey around the moon and back.
The main objective of the approximately ten-day mission is to test the Orion capsule's systems under real space conditions with a crew on board. This includes, in particular, the life support systems, communication and navigation capabilities far from Earth, and manual flight maneuvers. Artemis 2 is thus a crucial dress rehearsal for the planned moon landing with Artemis 3.
It will be the first time in over 50 years that humans will travel to the moon again. The crew will travel further from Earth than any human has before, breaking the record set by Apollo 13.
(ssi)
