Brevard County

TIMELINE: NASA scrubs launch of Artemis I due to technical issues with engine

By James Tutten, WFTV.com and Gene Saladna, WFTV.com
By James Tutten, WFTV.com and Gene Saladna, WFTV.com

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA was forced to scrub its launch of the Artemis I uncrewed flight test Monday morning. Read live updates below:

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

8:35 a.m. update:

NASA has announced a scrub of the launch of Artemis 1 on Monday.

Crews will keep the rocket in its current formation as they look over technical issues.

Read: NASA’s next moonshot: What you should know about the Artemis lunar program

NASA says an opportunity for the next launch attempt will be at 12:48 p.m. Friday.

8:20 a.m. update:

NASA is currently in an unplanned hold due to issues with Engine #3 on the SLS rocket.

Crews are still discussing plans for fixing the issues and moving forward.

A previous concern over a potential “crack” in the tank now appears to be a crack in the foam that formed on the outside of the tank.

7:40 a.m. update:

The countdown clock has been stopped at T-40 minutes as engineers work to address two technical issues.

The hydrogen team of the SLS rocket is discussing plans with the Artemis I launch director.

7:15 a.m. update:

Thousands of sightseers are setup and ready to watch NASA’s launch of Artemis I.

The launch is window is still set to open at 8:33 a.m. as crew are still looking over some technical issues.

Artemis I: 9 things to know about NASA’s mission to return humans to the moon

Vehicle traffic is now closed on the Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville to allow for people to gather for the launch.

6:30 a.m. update:

NASA is currently working on two issues including an engine that isn’t conditioning properly and an apparent crack on an inner tank.

Photos: NASA set for historic launch of SLS rocket for Artemis I mission to the moon

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Thousands of sightseers are setup and ready to watch NASA’s launch of Artemis I.

Teams have given a “go” for liquid oxygen loading into propulsion stage of NASA’s Orion spacecraft atop the SLS rocket.

Officials said crews are currently in a planned liquid hydrogen engine “bleed test.”

'This is a golden era for NASA': Bill Nelson sits down with WFTV ahead of NASA's return to the moon (Melonie Holt, WFTV.com/WFTV)

6:05 a.m. update:

A crash has been reported on Highway 407 northeast of State Route 528 and southwest of I-95.

Traffic in the area was already congested with drivers looking to view the launch.

5:45 a.m. update:

NASA has completed fueling the core stages of its SLS rocket with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen.

Fueling of the upper stage of the rocket is ongoing.

Traffic is building in several areas of Brevard County as people fill the roads near the Kennedy Space Center to see the launch.

Watch: Space Coast drivers should expect traffic issues during launch of Artemis 1 at KSC

The Brevard County Emergency Operations Center has activated its launch operations support team.

Video: A closer look at structure of NASA’s SLS rocket Channel 9’s Rusty McCranie details the parts and materials used to build NASA’s SLS rocket. (James Tutten, WFTV.com/WFTV)

5 a.m. update:

NASA crews are reporting the SLS rocket’s liquid oxygen tank is now 75% filled and its liquid hydrogen is 48% filled.

Officials said both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen are currently in “fast fill.”

NASA said crews found a spike in the amount of hydrogen that is allowed to leak when they switched from slow fill to fast fill.

Officials said the leak is at an acceptable level now.

4:15 a.m. update

This is not your average Monday! We are now just over four hours from liftoff, when Artemis I will make history and begin its journey on a return to the moon.

Read: Artemis I: 9 things to know about NASA’s mission to return humans to the moon

WFTV will bring you team coverage of the mission on-air and online all day.

Channel 9′s Melonie Holt and Q McCray are live on the Space Coast this morning.

The launch remains scheduled for 8:33 a.m., with a two hour window in case of any delays.

We’ve been watching all morning as NASA’s SLS rocket continues to fuel up on the launch pad.

Overnight, crews worked to manage a fuel leak.

There’s a lot on the line this morning. The launch is just step one.

Once the rocket goes up, it will spend 42 days in space.

Read: Spectators camp out for historic Artemis I launch

It will travel 1.3 million miles around the moon before reentering the Earth’s orbit at more than 24,000 miles per hour.

If today’s launch goes as planned, that reentry and splashdown will happen on October 10th.

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

WATCH: Eyewitness to History: Artemis, Return to the Moon (WFTV)


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