NASA engineers have successfully cleared a literal bottleneck in the Artemis 2 mission’s path to the Moon, repairing a faulty helium seal that had stalled the agency’s first crewed lunar flight in over half a century.

NASA said, “engineers determined a seal in the quick disconnect, through which helium flows from the ground systems to the rocket, was obstructing the pathway. The team removed the quick disconnect, reassembled the system, and began validating the repairs.”

Shown is a mated flight and ground plate for the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage’s liquid hydrogen tail service mast umbilical. The quick disconnect device sits between these interface plates once the umbilicals are connected and provide access for flowing propellant into the core stage’s fuel tank. The tail service mast umbilical connects from the zero-level deck on the mobile launcher to the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage aft section and provide liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fluid lines and electrical cable connections to the SLS core stage engine section to support propellant handling during prelaunch operations.
Shown is a mated flight and ground plate for the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage’s liquid hydrogen tail service mast umbilical. The quick disconnect device sits between these interface plates once the umbilicals are connected and provide access for flowing propellant into the core stage’s fuel tank. The tail service mast umbilical connects from the zero-level deck on the mobile launcher to the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage aft section and provide liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fluid lines and electrical cable connections to the SLS core stage engine section to support propellant handling during prelaunch operations. Credit: NASA

With the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket back inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, teams were refreshing systems including battery swaps and system checks before planned rollout and potential launch as early as next month.

NASA said technicians “are activating a new set of flight termination system batteries ahead of end-to-end retesting of the system and also are replacing the flight batteries on the upper stage, core stage, and solid rocket boosters, and charging the Orion launch abort system batteries. Work to replace a seal on the core stage liquid oxygen line feed system began March 2. Once complete, teams will reassemble the oxygen tail service mast umbilical plate and perform various integrity tests to ensure the seal interface is tight.”

NASA will attempt to get the rocket back to the pad for an April launch in the available windows which open on April 1.

Marc Boucher is an entrepreneur, writer, editor, podcaster and publisher. He is the founder of SpaceQ Media. Marc has 30+ years working in various roles in media, space sector not-for-profits, and internet content development.

Marc started his first Internet creator content business in 1992 and hasn't looked back. When not working Marc loves to explore Canada, the world and document nature through his photography.

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