NASA moon rocket springs more leaks in prep for launch next week

NASA’s new moon rocket sprouted more fuel leaks Wednesday in a test ahead of a possible launch attempt next week, but engineers managed to get them down to acceptable levels.

There was no immediate decision on whether NASA would try for a liftoff Tuesday given the sporadic nature of the hydrogen leaks, which have bedeviled the launch team for months.

Launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson wouldn’t commit to a launch attempt date, although she said the test went well.

“We’ll go take a look at the data,” she said. “I’d like the team to have an opportunity to look at that before I speculate.”

The daylong demo had barely begun when hazardous hydrogen fuel began escaping at the same place and same time as before, despite new seals and other repairs. Engineers halted the flow and warmed the lines in hopes of plugging the leak, and proceeded with the test. But the leak persisted before dropping to acceptable levels. Hours later, another leak cropped up elsewhere, before tapering down.

Blackwell-Thompson said all test objectives were met. But managers need to review the results before determining whether the 322-foot rocket is ready for its first test flight, a lunar-orbiting mission with mannequins instead of astronauts.

Hydrogen leaks spoiled the first two launch attempts, as well as earlier countdown tests. So much hydrogen escaped during the countdown earlier this month that it exceeded NASA’s limit by more than double. Wednesday’s leak almost got that big again.

After hours of fits and starts, NASA finally managed to load nearly 1 million gallons of fuel into the rocket.

Following the Sept. 3 launch delay, NASA replaced two seals in the leaky line. One seal had a tiny indentation; it measured a mere one-hundredth of an inch.