NASA Expects Artemis Wet Dress Rehearsal To Happen Month

Things didn’t go well during the first several attempts NASA made to conduct the wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis rocket. Repeated leaks and other issues ultimately resulted in the rocket being removed from the launching pad for repairs.

NASA is now saying that the next attempt to complete the wet dress rehearsal could happen in the middle of June. The wet dress rehearsal is a critical test before the rocket can be cleared for flight and involves putting the cryogenic propellants into the holding tanks.

“We’re looking right now at that next wet dress in the early to mid-June timeframe,” Jim Free, associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington, said during today’s call.

If the schedule holds, NASA would roll the spacecraft back out to the launching pad late this month. Crews need about two weeks to prep the rocket for the test.