NASA on Monday delayed the launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., because of a fuel leak in one of the rocket’s engines.
The next available time for the launch is on Friday.
The highly anticipated launch will serve as a key test for the SLS and the Orion exploration spacecraft, which NASA plans to send more than 40,000 miles past the moon. It’s the first in a series of integrated tests to eventually send astronauts back to the moon in 2025 or 2026.
NASA officials said the SLS rocket’s engine bleed could not be remedied in time for a launch today, but the rocket will remain in its current configuration.
Engineers are currently assessing a plan and gathering data to repair the engine.
Developing
Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Read more from The Hill at thehill.com
This story was originally published August 29, 2022 8:46 AM.
