09/05/2022 Act. at 15:45 CEST A fuel leak has made its launch impossible The project’s delays and problems with cost overruns have been constant After two failed attempts to launch its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, NASA has announced that it will make more launch attempts in the coming days. The launch, which was to launch the Artemis I mission, was initially scheduled for Monday, August 29, but this attempt was canceled due to a problem with one of the rocket’s engines. Last Saturday, September 3, a second attempt was made, but it was also suspended due to a leak of liquid hydrogen. They could try again, since the rocket launch window was extended until tomorrow, but finally NASA has decided to withdraw this time. “We are not going to launch it until it is well”, explained Bill Nelson, manager of NASA, in one of his public appearances. The problem was a leak in the quick disconnect attached to the rocket’s core stage, through which liquid hydrogen fuel is loaded. The liquid hydrogen tank was filled to more than 10% of its capacity, but several attempts to fix the leak were unsuccessful and the launch was cancelled. An update from NASA suggested that human error could have contributed to the problem. Possibly a “pressurization pothole” occurred that prevented the fuel load from running out, this being the ultimate reason why it could not be launched.