NASA to Provide Artemis I Launch Update Saturday
Following the Artemis I launch scrub Saturday from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency will hold a media briefing no earlier than 4 p.m. EDT on Saturday Sept. 3, to discuss mission status. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson provided initial remarks following the scrub.
Artemis I is a flight test to launch NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon before the Artemis II mission with astronauts aboard.
The briefing will livestream on NASA Television, Twitter and YouTube, as well as the agency’s app. Watch on the agency’s website at:
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA’s Artemis launch director, waived off the Artemis I launch attempt at approximately 11:17 a.m. Teams encountered a liquid hydrogen leak while loading the propellant into the rocket’s core stage. Multiple troubleshooting efforts to address the area of the leak by reseating a seal in the quick disconnect where liquid hydrogen is fed into the rocket did not fix the issue. Engineers are continuing to gather additional data.
The following individuals are confirmed to participate in the news briefing at this time, with additional participants to be determined:
- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
- Jim Free, associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA Headquarters
To participate by telephone, media must RSVP by the start of the call to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone to send astronauts to Mars.
For updates, follow along on NASA’s Artemis blog.