Like many of you, we've been following the NASA Artemis 1 mission and the amazing Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion capsule aboard. We were disappointed to hear that the launch had been scrubbed a second time on the morning of September 3, 2022, but safety always comes first in cases like this. Reports from the pre-launch team indicated that one of the 8-inch hydrogen fill lines was leaking during the filling and pressurization process. Sensors around the pad picked up ambient hydrogen concentrations in excess of the 4% allowable limit.
This seemingly small concentration percentage is enough to cause a flammability event, AKA a fire or explosion on the pad. Hydrogen is particularly dangerous because it burns clear without any flame color. We support NASA's choice to play it safe and correct the issue with the gasket on this fill line. A mission this critical needs careful planning, engineering, and decision making to proceed.
And just like small percentages can contribute to mission success, incremental improvements to vibration reduction can drastically improve sensor performance and life. That's a large reason why aerospace companies choose our Isolate IT Sorbothane polymer for their most mission critical applications. Sorbothane visco-elastic rubber gaskets, sheets, films, mounts, bushings, and pads are the right choice for applications demanding high performance and significant vibration reduction or isolation. Leading space agencies trust Sorbothane. How will you improve your mission success with Sorbothane too?
