NASA postpones launch of Moon rocket for the second time in five days due to fuel leak, disturbance detected just before flight

US NASA MOON Rocket Launching NASA's Artemis-1 moon rocket was also seen leaking on Saturday. This has created confusion regarding its launch. For the second time this week the launch team was loading fuel into the rocket.

NASA postpones launch of Moon rocket for the second time in five days due to fuel leak, disturbance detected just before flight
NASA postpones launch of Moon rocket, image source: Space.com

The US space agency NASA had to postpone the launch of its new Moon (lunar) rocket for the second time within five days. This time also the reason was fuel leak. The leak was detected when the rocket was being refueled for final preparations for the test. Under its Artemis program from the Moon to Mars, NASA was to launch its rocket on Monday itself. But that day too, at the last minute a fuel leak and an engine sensor fault were detected, after which the launch had to be postponed. 

After that, NASA had again prepared for the launch on Saturday. But when NASA's most powerful 322-foot-long rocket began to fill one million gallons of fuel for the second attempt, it began to leak.

NASA's 'Launch Control' reported that as soon as sunrise occurred, the overpressure alarm sounded and the refueling operation was briefly halted, but with no damage, and attempted again. However, a few minutes later, hydrogen fuel began to leak out from the engine area at the bottom of the rocket. After this NASA stopped the campaign. The error came to light after the take-off countdown began and NASA had only two hours to abort the launch. 

NASA wants to send 'crew capsule' now

NASA wants to send a 'crew capsule' around the moon through this rocket and after that there are plans to send astronauts to the moon by the next flight. If the test with the mannequins is successful, the astronauts could fly to the Moon in 2024 and reach it in 2025. The last time an astronaut walked on the Moon was 50 years ago.