NASA officials have ordered a review of damaged insulation on its Artemis I moon rocket caused by Hurricane Nicole last week.
The Kennedy Space Center announced on November 8 that its facility was entering HURCON (Hurricane Condition) III in preparation for Hurricane Nicole.
This protocol is triggered 48 hours ahead of 50-knot sustained winds and orders that facilities, properties, and equipment are secured. It includes a “ride-out” team who remain in a safe location at Kennedy throughout the storm to monitor center-wide conditions, including the flight hardware for the Artemis I. Non-essential personnel at the center are released during HURCON II status.
Artemis I is the first in a series of missions to build a long-term human presence on the moon. NASA said the goal of this next launch, scheduled for Wednesday, is to demonstrate Orion’s systems in spaceflight and ensure a safe re-entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery before a flight with the manned Artemis II.
The 322-foot-tall SLS rocket is designed to withstand heavy rains, is protected against water intrusion, and can withstand 85 mph winds at the 60-foot level with an added safety measure at the top.
However, high winds from Hurricane Nicole delaminated and stripped away a thin strip of caulk-like material, known as RTV, from the base of the Orion crew capsule’s protective nose cone at the top of the rocket, according to CBS News.
“It was an area that was about 10 feet in length (on the) windward side where the storm blew through,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin. “It is a very, very thin layer of RTV, it’s about .2 inches or less … in thickness.”
NASA had planned the launch, with an early countdown, during a two-hour window opening at 1:04 a.m. EST on November 16, with splashdown occurring on December 11. NASA has also planned a backup launch opportunity on November 19.
However, NASA’s management met on November 14 to review the engineers’ flight rationale and determine whether to allow the launch scheduled for Wednesday. A delay would add to multiple others already caused by hydrogen fuel leaks and other glitches.