NASA: Another attempt to launch “Artemis” has been canceled

The US space agency NASA has canceled a planned launch attempt for the weather-scarred Artemis lunar mission due to weather reasons. The reason given by NASA in a statement Saturday morning (local time) was the approach of a tropical storm heading towards the US state of Florida.

Rather than continue work on the launch attempt, NASA experts want to make preparations to return the rocket from the launch pad to the hangar, NASA said. The final decision should not be made until Sunday. You go step by step: on the one hand, it is important to protect your employees. On the other hand, they want to keep the possibility of another attempt open in the current launch window — which, according to NASA, closes on October 4 — if the weather forecast becomes more favorable.

Another window states the launch of the unmanned missile between October 17 and 31. The leak occurred again during a tank test on Wednesday. However, the test was completed as planned and all goals were achieved, according to NASA. About three weeks ago, two attempts to launch the unmanned missile failed – among other things due to a leaking fuel hose. Problems also arose in the previous “Artemis” tests, which eventually led to the first significant delay in the project.

It initially concerns an unmanned test flight to the moon, but with the program named after the Greek lunar goddess, American astronauts are supposed to land on the moon again in a few years.