NASA maintains its massive rocket liftoff for the moon Wednesday, after Hurricane Nicole passes

NASA has announced that it will continue to attempt to launch its new massive rocket to the moon next week, Wednesday, November 16. Inspections revealed only minor damage after Hurricane Nicole hit Florida. “Nothing prevents” So take off on this date, He said at a press conference (in English) Jim Frey, Associate Administrator at NASA, Friday, Nov. 11.

The SLS rocket, the most powerful rocket ever designed by NASA, is scheduled to launch Wednesday at 1:04 a.m. local time (0604 GMT), with a two-hour launch potential. An Artemis 1 test mission should propel an Orion capsule, without an astronaut on board, to the Moon without landing there. If liftoff on Wednesday, the mission would take 25 and a half days, with the capsule returning to the Pacific Ocean on December 11.

However, the US space agency has several preparations to carry out by Wednesday, in particular the launch of the craft and a series of technical tests. One of the items on the bottom of the rocket, which may be damaged, may need to be replaced. Jim Frey said two backup dates were planned if needed, November 19 and 25. “If we get a problem because of something we find during the run or test, we have to think about 19” November.

Category 1 Hurricane Nicole’s winds blew through the rocket as it stood outside on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center. But they haven’t gone beyond the limits they can handle, according to Jim Frey.

However, he conceded that if NASA had known that a hurricane was approaching, the rocket would certainly have been left safe in its assembly building. She had returned there at the end of September to be protected from another hurricane, Ian, but was released a few days before Nicole passed. Prior to that, two last-minute takeoff attempts over the summer were canceled, due to technical issues.

Artemis 1 will see the launch of the Artemis flagship, which is scheduled to take the first woman and first person of color to the moon, in 2025 at the earliest. NASA wants to establish a permanent human presence there, including building a space station in orbit around the Moon. For the space agency, this is a step that should then allow for a first trip to Mars.