As expected , the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) transported the Space Launch System lunar rocket with the Orion spacecraft to the assembly shop at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During pre-flight tests, NASA engineers identified a number of malfunctions that must be fixed before the giant rocket returns to the launch pad.

Image Source: Josh Dinner / Space.com

Transportation of the SLS rocket from pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center began on April 25 at 19:54 local time (April 26, 02:54 Moscow time), for which a huge tracked tractor weighing 2900 tons was used. The launch vehicle with the Orion spacecraft arrived at the assembly shop, located at a distance of about 6.5 km from the launch pad, on April 26 at about 06:00 local time (13:00 Moscow time).

Recall that the SLS rocket underwent pre-flight tests as part of the Artemis 1 mission, which is part of the American lunar program. At this stage, it is assumed that the rocket will take the Orion spacecraft into outer space, where it will make an unmanned flight around the moon and return to Earth. If successful, the Artemis 2 mission will involve a crew that will also fly around the moon and return to our planet. And already the mission of Artemis 3 involves the landing of astronauts on the surface of the Earth’s satellite. When the SLS flight will take place as part of the Artemis 1 mission is still unknown.

The decision to return the lunar rocket to the assembly shop for revision was made after the completion of a series of tests that took place earlier this month. During the tests, malfunctions were identified in the containment systems , as well as a problem with the launcher’s ventilation valve . In addition, a leak of liquid hydrogen was detected while attempting to fill the SLS tanks with fuel. Obviously, the rocket will not return to the launch pad until these shortcomings are corrected.