Because the engine burn was so successful, NASA ruled out the opportunity to perform a “corrective” burn on Friday.
During their daily briefing with reporters, NASA officials had almost no major issues to report. Howard Hu, Orion program manager, said NASA was tracking a problem with the helium system that pressurizes the Orion service module’s propulsion system to deliver fuel and oxidizer to the engine. However, he said, Orion no longer needs to use this helium regulator for the remainder of the mission, and a backup system is working as planned.
Other minor problems
There have also been some “false alarms” in the cabin from various environmental sensors. However, Hu said, these are not at all a threat to the crew, but instead reflect conservative limits set for those systems. He called this a “learning” that will fit into the Artemis III mission, which could take off next year.
Another image of Earth seen from Orion.
Credit: NASA
Another image of Earth seen from Orion.
Credit: NASA
The only other real problem experienced by the crew has been the cabin temperature, which the astronauts described as a bit cold at night. One of the mission’s flight directors, Judd Frieling, said the crew started with temperatures in the mid-70s, but after several “shell heaters” were turned off, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Several factors influence cabin temperature and flight controllers were able to adjust the cabin atmosphere to a more comfortable level.
Similarly, humidity levels were slightly below optimal for devices that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These “scrubbers” work best in higher humidity, and the crew has been able to find a comfortable humidity level between “dry desert” and “wet Houston,” Frieling said.
So the crew feels comfortable as they fly further from Earth than anyone else in half a century.
