NASA continues the countdown to the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, a refueling test for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The team monitored all systems overnight at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, despite low temperatures and strong winds.
Early this morning, around L-39:30, the team powered up the rocket’s core stage. More than 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will soon be loaded during the tank-filling phase of the countdown. This occurs over a series of different propellant loading milestones to fill, refill, and replenish the tank. The intermediate cryogenic propulsion stage was activated overnight. Orion has been providing power for the past few days due to cold temperatures in Florida. Engineers are preparing to charge Orion’s flight batteries and will soon begin charging the core stage battery. Later today, engineers will make final preparations for the umbilical arm and perform a walkdown on the launch pad.
Rocket’s live stream on the pad continues 24/7 online. NASA will provide a separate feed during refueling operations, as well as real-time blog post updates about the refueling day test.
