Without actually launching the rocket, the test was planned to recreate practically everything the crew would go through throughout the fuelling procedure on launch day. The equipment was subjected to the same extreme cold temperatures as it would encounter during normal fuelling. Engineers discovered a leak in a section of the fuelling system that links to the rocket, known as a “fast detach umbilical line,” while the rocket was being filled with liquid hydrogen. The crew opted to warm up that component of the system to see whether the fast disconnect would recalibrate and prevent the leak from worsening. The treatment seemed to be effective; it did not halt the leak, but it did limit it to a “manageable” level.
The liquid hydrogen leak remains manageable during the Artemis I cryogenic demonstration test. Teams warmed up the quick disconnect umbilical line and the leak then maxed out at 3.4%, which is within the acceptable range to continue.
— NASA's Exploration Ground Systems (@NASAGroundSys) September 21, 2022
