After successfully launching the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit last year as part of the Artemis 1 mission, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is busy making preparations for the Artemis 2 mission. This mission is the first crewed mission of the Artemis program – a multi launch agency effort aiming to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon. For Artemis 2, NASA is making a host of different upgrades to its launch site, such as building new tanks, repairing the launch tower, making changes to the rocket transporter responsible for carrying the rocket from the assembly facilities to the launch pad and other systems.
NASA Aiming To Reduce Launch Time Between Multiple Attempts By Building Larger Fuel Tanks At Kennedy Space Center
The SLS rocket lifted off after several nail biting attempts by NASA that saw the rocket’s hydrogen fuel present mind-boggling leaks. These led the space agency to cancel the attempts multiple times, and limitations with the pad also constrained its ability to make another launch attempt. Prior to each attempt, NASA has to make sure the rocket is safe to stay on pad, and this involves de-tanking it to remove the fuel and oxidizer. Since hydrogen is a very ‘light’ fuel, it boils off both while the rocket is being filled and also while it is being de-tanked.
The boiloff results in waste and NASA has to make sure that it has enough supply on hand to properly fill the vehicle for the next attempt. After having gained sufficient experience of filling and then emptying the SLS rocket multiple times as part of the Artemis 1 attempt, the agency is making an upgrade for the next mission. According to NASA, it is building a massive 1.4 million gallon tank at the KSC, which will help it reduce the time between multiple launch attempts.
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As part of its launch campaign for Artemis 1, NASA built a brand new 1.25 million gallon liquid hydrogen fuel tank at the KSC. Now, the agency is increasing its capacity by roughly 12% to build a new 1.4 million-gallon tank. This will enable the tank to store more than twice the SLS’ fuel capacity, as the rocket’s massive hydrogen tank is designed to hold 538,263 gallons of liquid hydrogen. Additionally, the SLS rocket can also store 196,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen in a separate tank.
The new tank is not the only upgrade that NASA is making to the launch site. Another crucial area being overhauled is the mobile launch tower. This tower holds the SLS rocket while it is transported from the assembly facilities in the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch tower. It remains connected to the rocket until moments before launch and is responsible for filling the vehicle with fuel, among other things.
The tower was damaged after Artemis 1 took off in November, and according to NASA, the most significant damage was to its elevators which were rendered inoperable due to the 8.8 million pounds of thrust that the SLS generates at liftoff. The space agency outlined roughly a week after launch that the elevators would take “months” to be repaired and that technicians had to climb a grueling 662 steps to assess the damage. Upgrades to the launch tower include adding an emergency exit system for astronauts.
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