Artemis Launch Pad Needs Repairs From Damage In Recent Blast-Off - NASA Officials

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th March, 2023) NASA technicians and engineers are working to repair and strengthen launch pad 39B used for the Space Launch System giant rocket that propelled the Artemis 1 mission into space before using it again in November 2024 for the planned manned Artemis 2 mission around the Moon, US space agency officials told a press conference.

"We did sustain more damage than anticipated to the launch pad," NASA Exploration Ground Systems Program Manager Shawn Quinn said on Tuesday. "Replacement (crews are) at work getting the one elevator (that was also) damaged" in the Space Launch System blast-off.� "We are considering future hardening requirements for the launch pad. Some pneumatic water cooling lines were also lost in the shock of take off.

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Quinn said the damage caused by the take off of the largest and most powerful rocket NASA had ever operated was no neither serious nor unexpected.

NASA Orion Program Manager Howard Hu told the press conference that more material had fallen off the Orion space capsule on reentry to the Earth's atmosphere than had been anticipated and that an analysis was being conducted to study the causes.

At 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit temperature on reentry, charring of the underside of the heat shield was to be anticipated, Hu said.

However, an analysis was being undertaken from the remains of the heat shield as to whether any changes or upgrades would need to be made before Artemis 2 was launched, the NASA officials said.�