Michael Nyarko
The Artemis launch time was initially given as 8:33am ET. However, the rocket could not blast off at the given time, leaving spectators, including VP Kamara Harris, ‘confused.’
The delay in the blast-off of the Artemis 1 rocket is attributed to some unforeseeable events that NASA engineers are currently working hard to resolves.
The launch has up to 10:33am ET to come off.
Below are few reasons the Artemis 1 launch could not come off as scheduled by the space agency.
1). Engine bleed: The engine bleed issue that is holding up today’s launch countdown was “something they wanted to test” during an earlier dress rehearsal fueling of the rocket but were unable to complete, said Mr. Nail, the NASA commentator. “This was the first opportunity for this team to see this live in action,” he said, adding that engineers called it “a particularly tricky issue.”
2). Crack appears on the rocket: The launch commentator also said that the line of frost on the outside of the core stage appeared to be the result of a crack in the insulating foam, not the underlying “intertank flange.” He added that the crack is nothing that serious. However, it needs to be fixed before Artemis 1 is launched.
Source: NBA Republic