NASA has tentatively scheduled a launch of its mega moon rocket, the SLS, for early this Wednesday morning. Following Hurricane Nicole and its 85 mph winds, teams conducted thorough assessments of the rocket, spacecraft, and associated ground systems at the launch pad. One issue they are tracking is the loss of about 10 feet of insulation around the Orion capsule. The concern is that more of the caulk may dislodge during liftoff, and damage rocket components below. In order to fix the problem, NASA would need to roll the rocket back into the vehicle assembly building, delaying the mission by weeks. NASA teams on Monday gave the go-ahead to proceed with the countdown.
A two hour launch window opens at 1:04AM on Wednesday, Nov 16th. Previously, teams scrubbed launch attempts in late Aug. due to a faulty temperature sensor, and early Sept. due to a liquid hydrogen leak. Hopefully, the third time is a charm for NASA, but the agency stresses that this is a test flight, with no humans on board. Weather is predicted to be 90% favorable.
