NASA's Artemis I rocket — bound for the moon as part of the federal space agency's planned return to the surface for the first time in half a century — is still sitting on the launch pad in Florida after a Monday morning launch was scrubbed due to numerous problems, including one caused by an apparent crack in one of the rocket's main engines.
The launch of #Artemis I is no longer happening today as teams work through an issue with an engine bleed. Teams will continue to gather data, and we will keep you posted on the timing of the next launch attempt. https://t.co/tQ0lp6Ruhv pic.twitter.com/u6Uiim2mom
— NASA (@NASA) August 29, 2022
Vice President Kamala Harris, who also chairs the National Space Council, traveled to Cape Canaveral to witness the launch but, in something of a poetic living metaphor, she watched as the rocket failed to get off the ground.
@VP Kamala Harris has landed here at NASA Kennedy for the Artemis 1 launch. #Artemis1 pic.twitter.com/XFCRPxuaLn
— Tariq J. Malik (@tariqjmalik) August 29, 2022
Prior to the launch, Harris heralded NASA's Artemis I launch as part of the plan to "return American astronauts to the Moon, including the first woman and person of color." But, if Monday's attempt to go to the moon — this one just an unmanned orbital trip — is any indication, Harris' woke dreams of bringing Democrats' identity politics to the surface of the moon won't be coming true soon.
Later this month, @NASA will launch Artemis I—the first in a series of missions that will return American astronauts to the Moon, including the first woman and person of color. We have incredible opportunities in space.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) August 20, 2022
Upon landing at Kennedy Space Center to observe the ultimately scrubbed launch, Kamala Harris spoke with reporters. "I'm so proud of what is happening in terms of our space program and the leadership that the United states is providing to the world," Harris said, perhaps a bit prematurely given the scrubbed launch. "The Artemis program is the beginning of the next era of what we have a history and a tradition of doing, of providing vision and inspiring innovation in a way that is going to benefit all mankind and womankind," she added in an accidental confirmation that gender is binary.
KAMALA: "The Artemis program is the beginning of the next era of what we have a history and a tradition of doing, of providing vision and inspiring innovation in a way that is going to benefit all mankind and womankind." pic.twitter.com/dEYvGBJAWQ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) August 29, 2022
The Artemis program, according to NASA's inspector general, is years behind schedule in its goal of making a return to the moon, and billions over budget. The current timeline, the IG has said, is "unrealistic" and the boondoggle project is set to cost NASA — that is, taxpayers — $93 billion through 2025.
Harris was scheduled to observe the launch and then "give a speech on U.S. leadership in space exploration," a schedule that was altered due to the scrubbed launch to instead include a tour of other Artemis program infrastructure and a gaggle with reporters.
The next launch window for Artemis I is Friday, September 2, but it's unclear whether NASA will have fully identified and fixed the issues that scrubbed Monday's attempt in time to re-attempt the launch this week.