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The Green Run was still awaiting a firm date for the milestone firing, although the overall goal was to complete testing \u201cin the summer\u201d in preparation for a trip on the Pegasus Barge to Florida later this year.<\/p>\n
However, Stennis moved to \u201cStage 4\u201d \u2013 per the COVID shutdown \u2013 on March 16, with only the personnel needed to perform mission-essential activities related to the safety and security of the center allowed on site.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough Stennis remains in Stage 4 of NASA\u2019s COVID-19 Response Framework, we assessed state and local conditions and worked with agency leadership to develop a plan to safely and methodically increase critical on-site work toward the launch of the next great era of space exploration,\u201d noted Stennis Center Director Rick Gilbrech.<\/p>\n
Key SLS centers, such as Marshall and Michoud are also are in Stage 4.<\/p>\n
Work to bring the B-2 Test Stand out of its slumber includes restoring facility power and controls, as well as ensuring pressurized gas systems are at proper levels for SLS operators to proceed with testing activities.
\n![\"Engineers](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/NSF-2020-05-15-17-59-25-949.jpg\")
\u201cThe test facility has been in standby mode, so we allotted two days to reestablish some facility support of mechanical and electrical systems that will also assist the vehicle contractors in performing their operations,\u201d added Barry Robinson, project manager for the B-2 Test Stand SLS core stage Green Run testing at Stennis.<\/p>\nFollowing modal testing to validate structural analysis on the vehicle, the Stennis team had connected feed and pressure lines. They had about 10 days worth of integration work to get to \u201cphase one\u201d test activity when the center halted operations due to COVID restrictions.<\/p>\n
A handful of workers remained on-site to keep the Core Stage safe and watch for water intrusions during several documented \u201crain days\u201d.<\/p>\n
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With more workers returning to the B-2 stand, teams will start the ramp-up to phase one testing, starting with electrical checkouts, working through an avionics checklist and driving the Trust Vector Control (TVC) system for the engines.<\/p>\n
With the flagship event of the Green Run being an eight-minute, full-duration hot fire of the core stage with its four RS-25 engines, passing that phase \u2013 and being ready to ship the stage to KSC \u2013 will provide schedule guidance, which has been fluid throughout the lifetime of SLS.
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/P1160599.35pct.jpg\")
The Green Run was tracking an August test, which is now expected to occur sometime in mid-autumn \u2013 followed by shipping to KSC at the end of the year, or early in 2021.<\/p>\nAhead of the next schedule realignment, which is set to occur next week, Tom Whitmeyer \u2013 NASA assistant deputy associate administrator \u2013 provided an overview at the NASA Advisory Council\u2019s Human Exploration and Operations Committee.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, the anchor item for the overview was the status of the Green Run.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing that we\u2019re really in the process of doing right now is that middle item, the core stage, it\u2019s been manufactured and delivered to Stennis. It\u2019s sitting in the test stand at Stennis, the B-2 test stand. We really need to get through what we call the Green Run test,\u201d Mr. Whitmeyer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we complete the Green Run test, we\u2019ll take that core stage, and literally begin to build up this integrated stack, test it at the Cape, and then fly it. We bring the motors in first, and then we drop the core stage in, and then we actually stack the rest of the vehicle. We\u2019ll do a Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) next year, then we\u2019ll get ready to fly.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Core Stage arrives at KSC, it will be greeted in the Vehicle Assembly Building by the Mobile Launcher with the two Solid Rocket Boosters already stacked on its deck. This follows a similar path to during the Shuttle era, where the boosters would be \u201cbuilt-up\u201d on the Mobile Launch Platform, ahead of receiving the External Tank.<\/p>\n
The booster segments for Artemis-1 are already built and preparing to make the train journey from Utah. The latest L2 schedule for transportation cites a NET (No Earlier Than) departure date of next week, on a journey that will take around three weeks before arriving into KSC.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n