The Artemis I lunar mission has a new target launch date. NASA is now eyeing September 27th as its next launch window, after delaying that date following two failed launch attempts. NASA said it has replaced leaky seals over the weekend and is preparing for a fuel test to make sure those leaks have indeed been fixed. One professor at the George Washington University says these issues in engine development is not a sign of larger concern.
If you would like more context on this matter, please consider Michael Keidar, A. James Clark Professor of Engineering at the GW School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Keidar’s Micropropulsion and Nanotechnology Lab conducts advanced fundamental and applied research in plasma medicine, micropropulsion for micro and nanosatellites, and plasma nanoscience and nanotechnology.
“Artemis is an extremely important mission, the result of many years of development and large government investments. This mission will lead to Artemis II and III that will culminate in Moon landing. As such, there is zero tolerance to the technical risk,” Keidar says.
“In general, any new engine development has many small problems that need to be resolved, so this is a normal technology development process. So, the current issue with a leak should not be a concern, it just requires very detailed analysis and full understanding of the reasons. This is important for the success of the entire mission.”
If you would like to speak with Professor Keidar, please contact the GW Media Relations team at [email protected].
-GW-