INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NASA is skipping next week&s launch attempt of its new moon rocket Artemis 1 because of a tropical storm that&s expected to become a major
hurricane.It&s the third delay in the past month for the lunar-orbiting test flight featuring mannequins but no astronauts, a follow-up to
NASA&s Apollo moon-landing program of a half-century ago
Hydrogen fuel leaks and other technical issues caused the previous scrubs, AP reported.Currently churning in the Caribbean, Tropical Storm
Ian is expected to become a hurricane by Monday and slam into Florida&s Gulf coast by Thursday
The entire state, however, is in the cone showing the probable path of the storm&s center — including NASA&s Kennedy Space Center.Given
the forecast uncertainties, NASA decided Saturday to forgo Tuesday&s planned launch attempt and instead prepare the 98-meter rocket for a
possible return to its hangar.Managers will decide Sunday whether to haul it off the launch pad.If the rocket remains at the pad, NASA could
try for an October 2 launch attempt, the last opportunity before a two-week blackout period
But a rollback late Sunday or early Monday likely would mean a lengthy delay for the test flight, possibly pushing it into November.The
Space Launch System rocket is the most powerful ever built by NASA
Assuming its first test flight goes well, astronauts would climb aboard for the next mission in 2024, leading to a two-person moon landing
in 2025.The post NASA delays moon rocket launch due to potential hurricane first appeared on Ariana News.
