So they’re having a problem loading the hydrogen tank it seems…. This time it was only 11% full before they scrubbed due to a big leak from one of the filling connectors.
This all goes back to the politicians stating that Artemis had to use legacy engines/tech which means using hydrogen.
In all its history the shuttle never launched without at least one scrub and most of the issues related to using hydrogen which is very leaky.
Despite all their previous experience with hydrogen NASA couldn’t put up a fight against the politicians who were effectively designing the rocket.
And now they’re stuck with a core stage that is already 2.5 years old* that they haven’t managed to fill completely a single time.
Without SpaceX the US would currently have no manned space program.
I’ve just read that, at current funding levels, a delay to mid-october would cost $495 million, or the total development cost of Falcon Heavy, or the total development cost of Falcon 9 plus four flights.
…. That’s the cost of JUST the delay! 🤷🏻♂️
* It seems there are limits on how many times a system can go through a cryogenic load due to the stresses caused by the temperatures involved