The scheduled launch date for the Artemis II mission has been pushed back by at least a month as a result of a hydrogen leak discovered by NASA during the fueling process.
Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, the components of rocket fuel, are notable for their ability to remain in liquid form despite being extremely cold. These cryogenic liquids, with boiling points well below freezing, present challenges due to their propensity to easily leak.
Handling these super cold liquids requires specialized equipment capable of withstanding the significant temperature differences between the fuels and the surrounding environment in Florida, where the rockets are launched.
To keep the fuels in liquid form, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage is covered in insulating foam to protect the cold fuel from the warm air and metal of the rocket. Despite these efforts, the cryogenic fuel’s vapor pressure leads to leaks, with hydrogen being particularly prone to escaping due to its small molecular size.
The recent delay in the Artemis II mission was caused by a leak from a connector at the launch tower, which engineers aim to address at the launch pad to avoid further delays. NASA’s use of liquid hydrogen and oxygen fuel in the SLS rocket is a legacy technology dating back to the 1970s, providing high thrust for heavy lift vehicles but facing criticism for its cost and disposability compared to reusable rockets used by private companies.
While critics argue that the SLS rocket’s expense and disposal make it unsustainable, NASA continues to use liquid hydrogen for its rockets due to its high thrust-to-weight ratio. The future of the SLS rocket hinges on addressing hydrogen leaks while considering cost efficiency and job preservation for the contractors involved in its construction.
