"The test is critical for Artermis II to move forward for launch; the first attempt, performed on February 2, exposed problems with both the SLS and the Orion capsule, which is designed to house Artemis II's four-person crew on a journey around the moon and back. Liquid hydrogen fuel leaked from the rocket, and one of the capsule's valves malfunctioned."
"Liquid hydrogen fuel leaked from the rocket, and one of the capsule's valves malfunctioned. Notably, similar fuel leaks plagued the mission's predecessor, Artemis I, delaying its launch for months. In announcing the new wet dress rehearsal date, NASA said that engineers have replaced a filter in ground support equipment that they think reduced the flow of liquid hydrogen into the rocket and that this has potentially resolved the leaking issue."
NASA will perform a wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II on February 19 at 8:30 P.M. EST to pump liquid fuel into the Space Launch System and simulate a countdown. A February 2 attempt revealed liquid hydrogen leakage from the rocket and a malfunctioning Orion capsule valve. Engineers replaced a filter in ground support equipment that they believe reduced hydrogen flow and may have fixed the leak. Similar leaks delayed Artemis I. Artemis II will carry four crew—Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen—on a roughly 10-day lunar flyby observing the Moon's farside and conducting onboard experiments before a Pacific splashdown off San Diego.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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