
NASA / Kim Shiflett
Artemis II Crew Train for Night Launch Scenarios at Kennedy Space Center (News Release)
Before NASA’s Artemis II test flight launches a crew of four astronauts around the Moon and back, astronauts and teams on the ground at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, are training for different scenarios that could take place on launch day.
On August 11 and 12, teams with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems Program along with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, practiced launch day operations if launch occurs at night. They simulated putting their spacesuits on and driving to the launch pad, as well as emergency procedures that they would use in the unlikely event of an emergency during the launch countdown requiring them to evacuate the launch pad.
During the first nighttime scenario, the crew traversed the nine-mile journey from crew quarters to Launch Complex 39B. Once the crew arrived, teams declared a “scrub” and the astronauts headed back to crew quarters like they would in the event of their launch being postponed. The test ensures that both the crew and ground teams at Kennedy are prepared and understand the timeline of their events for launch day.
Practicing the scenario also complements a September 2023 daylight version of the test.
On August 12, teams completed an emergency egress system demonstration inside Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The astronauts suited up and departed their crew quarters and headed to the VAB, where their Moon rocket is being assembled on the Mobile Launcher. Once inside, the crew went up the Mobile Launcher to the White Room in the crew access arm – the area where the crew enters and exits their Orion spacecraft.
From there, teams went through different emergency scenarios with the astronauts, including practicing using emergency egress baskets while on the ground in the VAB.
During a real emergency, personnel will use the baskets, which are suspended on a track cable that connects the Mobile Launcher to the perimeter of the pad.
The team then headed to the terminus area at Launch Complex 39B, the location at the perimeter of the launch pad where the baskets will come to a stop in the event of an emergency. Once there, armored emergency response vehicles drove the team away to a designated safe site location at Kennedy.
Teams will have another opportunity to practice different launch day scenarios with the Artemis II crew during a countdown demonstration test scheduled for later this year. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
Source: NASA.Gov
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NASA / Kim Shiflett

NASA / Kim Shiflett

NASA / Kim Shiflett