NASA’s next-generation moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with its Orion crew capsule perched on top, as it stands on launch pad 39B in preparation for the unmanned Artemis 1 mission at Cape Canaveral, Florida, August 27, 2022.
photo: Joe Skipper/ Reuters
After the failure of the first attempt, NASA will launch a second attempt on Saturday.A lift-off on Monday was canceled when one of four engines on the vehicle would not cool down to its required operating temperature.
NASA officials say they will make their second attempt to launch a rocket to the moon on Saturday.
The rocket has a length of a 32-story building, around 100 meters, and will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket would remain six weeks in space before touching down earth again.
While Artemis I will not carry astronauts, nor land on the moon, the mission is critical to demonstrating that NASA’s monster rocket and deep space capsule can deliver on their promised abilities. Artemis I has been delayed for years, with the program running billions over budget.