NASA and the Ministry of Defense (DOD) have joined forces on June 11 and 12 to simulate the emergency procedures they would use to save the Artemis II crew in the event of an emergency for launch. The simulations, which took place off the coast of Florida and were supported by launch and flight control teams, prepare NASA to send four astronauts around the moon and next year as part of the agency’s first Artemis mission.
The team repeated the procedures they would use to save the crew during an abortion on the NASA oron spatial while the SLS rocket (Space Launch System) is still on the launch ramp, as well as during the ascent to the space. A set of test models and a representative version of Orion called the crew module test article, were used during the tests.
The launch team of the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, flight controllers in mission control at the Agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, as well as the mission management team, all worked together, exercising their integrated procedures for these emergency scenarios.
“Part of the preparation to send humans to the moon is to ensure that our teams are ready for any scenario on launch day,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, deputy assistant assistant to NASA for the Moon to Mars program, and who is also president of the mission management team for Artemis II. “We are getting closer to our bold mission to send four astronauts to the moon, and our integrated tests help us to make sure that we are ready to bring them home in any scenario.”
The Avort scenario of the launching ramp was first. The teams carried out a normal launch count before declaring an avort before the rocket before the launch. During a real emergency, the launching system of Orion would propel Orion and its crew at a safe distance and guided it for splash before the parachutes of the capsule then deploy before a safe splash off the coast of Florida.
For simulated splash, the Orion test with models on board was placed in the water at five miles east of Kennedy. Once the launch team called for a simulated cushion, two navy helicopters carrying American Air Force pararests have left the base of Patrick Space Force nearby. The rescuers jumped into the water with a single DOD and NASA rescue equipment to safely approach the spaceship, recover the model of a model and transport them for medical care in helicopters, just as they would in case of real PAD during the Artemis II mission.
The next day focused on an abandonment scenario during the ascent towards space.
The Recovery Artemis team has set up another simulation at sea at 12 miles east of Kennedy, using the Orion crew module test article and models. With the flight launch and control teams, as well as the Artemis II crew inside a simulator in Johnson, the rescue team entered into action after receiving the call for the abandonment of simulated ascent and started the rescue procedures using a C-17 plane and the American Air Force. By reaching the capsule, the rescuers jumped from the C-17 with a single DOD and NASA rescue equipment. In a real ascent, Orion would separate from the millisecond rocket to run away safely before deploying parachutes and splashes.
The rescue procedures are similar to those used in the current recovery test carried out off the Californian coast in March. This demonstration ended with the opening of the hatch and the extraction of the models of the capsule, so the teams stopped without finishing the transport of helicopter which would be used during a real rescue.
The exercise procedures for extreme scenarios are part of the NASA work to carry out its mission and ensure the safety of the crew. Thanks to the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the moon for scientific discovery, economic advantages and to build the bases of the first missions equipped with Mars – for the benefit of all.
