NASA Is Making Big Changes to Speed Up the Artemis Program

"If I recall, the timing between Apollo 7 and 8 was nine weeks. Launching SLS every three and a half years or so is not a recipe for success. Certainly, making each one of them a work of art with some major configuration change is also not helpful in the process, and we're clearly seeing the results of it, right?"

"The goal therefore is to standardize the SLS rocket into a single configuration in order to make the rocket as reliable as possible, and launching as frequently as every 10 months. NASA will fly the SLS vehicle until there are commercial alternatives to launch crews to the moon, perhaps through Artemis V as Congress has mandated, or perhaps even a little longer."

"A senior NASA official, speaking on background to Ars, noted that the space agency has experienced hydrogen and helium leaks during both the Artemis I and Artemis II prelaunch preparations, and these problems have led to monthslong delays in launch."

NASA is proposing significant changes to the Space Launch System (SLS) program to address recurring technical issues and launch delays. The agency has experienced hydrogen and helium leaks during Artemis I and II preparations, causing monthslong postponements. To resolve these problems, NASA plans to standardize the SLS into a single configuration and increase launch frequency to approximately every 10 months, compared to the current 3.5-year interval. This approach contrasts with the Apollo program's rapid cadence between missions. NASA intends to continue flying SLS until commercial alternatives become available for crewed lunar missions, potentially through Artemis V or beyond. Key contractors, including Boeing, have reportedly been briefed and appear supportive of these revised plans.

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