Overview
- NASA aims to run the SLS/Orion rehearsal as early as Jan. 30–31 to preserve schedule margin, but propellant loading cannot proceed if temperatures violate strict limits.
- The exercise loads more than 700,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen and runs the countdown to about T-33 seconds to validate hardware, software and procedures.
- Weather rules include an average outside temperature threshold of roughly 41.4°F assessed at about 132 and 257 feet on the vehicle, with violations halting the test.
- Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen remain in a 14-day health stabilization and will not participate in the pad rehearsal.
- Results will guide mission managers on system readiness, with the next launch opportunity reported as Feb. 6 at 9:41 p.m. EST and contingencies to pause, troubleshoot or roll back if problems surface.