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A28 u.s. news
Dialuna 29 augustus 2022

NASA moon rocket on track for launch despite lightning hits

poised to send an empty crew capsule ing, conditions were expected to de-
into lunar orbit, a half-century after teriorate during the two-hour launch
NASA's Apollo program, which land- window.
ed 12 astronauts on the moon.
On the technical side, Spaulding said
Astronauts could return to the moon the team did its best over the past sev-
in a few years, if this six-week test eral months to eliminate any lingering
flight goes well. NASA officials cau- fuel leaks. A pair of countdown tests
tion, however, that the risks are high earlier this year prompted repairs to
and the flight could be cut short. leaking valves and other faulty equip-
ment; engineers won't know if all the
In lieu of astronauts, three test dum- fixes are good until just a few hours
mies are strapped into the Orion before the planned liftoff. If Monday
capsule to measure vibration, accel- doesn't pan out, the next launch at-
eration and radiation, one of the big- tempt would be Friday.
gest hazards to humans in deep space.
The capsule alone has more than After so many years of delays and set-
1,000 sensors. backs, the launch team was thrilled
to finally be so close to the inaugural
Officials said Sunday that neither the flight of the Artemis moon-explora-
rocket nor capsule suffered any dam- tion program, named after Apollo's
age during Saturday's thunderstorm; twin sister in Greek mythology.
ground equipment also was unaffect-
ed. Five strikes were confirmed, hit- "We're within 24 hours of launch
ting the 600-foot (183-meter) light- right now, which is pretty amazing
ning-protection towers surrounding for where we've been on this jour-
the rocket at NASA's Kennedy Space ney," Spaulding told reporters.
Center. The strikes weren't strong
enough to warrant major retesting. The follow-on Artemis flight, as ear-
ly as 2024, would see four astronauts
"Clearly, the system worked as de- flying around the moon. A landing
signed," said Jeff Spaulding, NASA's could follow in 2025. NASA is tar-
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) at the launch pad. senior test director. geting the moon's unexplored south
— NASA's new moon rocket re- pole, where permanently shadowed
mained on track to blast off on The 322-foot (98-meter) Space More storms were expected. Al- craters are believed to hold ice that
a crucial test flight Monday, de- Launch System rocket is the most though forecasters gave 80% odds of could be used by future crews.
spite a series of lightning strikes powerful ever built by NASA. It's acceptable weather Monday morn-

Low fuel inventories cause special concern in US Northeast

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Administration has projected said Michael Ferrante, of the Maine is "distinctly vulner- inventories will increase in
— Diesel and heating oil an active hurricane season, Massachusetts Energy Mar- able to the increased prices September and October, eas-
supplies in the Northeast and a powerful weather event keters Association. and volatility the global fos- ing the immediate concerns.
are more than 50% below could cause disruptions, sil fuel market is now expe-
the recent average, raising since most fuel consumed The fuel inventory concerns riencing due to the Russian He said he is optimistic that
concerns that an extreme from the Middle Atlantic come against a backdrop of invasion of Ukraine," said there will be an ample supply
weather event could cause states to Maine comes from Russian's invasion of Ukraine Anthony Ronzio, a spokes- of heating oil.
supply disruptions, feder- Gulf Coast refineries, energy further shaking up an energy person for the Mills admin-
al officials said. officials say. supply chain that was seek- istration. The Energy Department cre-
ing to catch up with growing ated a heating oil reserve that
Fuel supplies are lower than Energy Secretary Jennifer demand. The war is causing Despite the concern, whole- holds 1 million barrels in
normal across the country for Granholm is convening a worries about the adequacy sale suppliers and retailers are terminals in the Northeast.
a variety of reasons, including meeting of New England of energy supplies around the working well together, and Those could be tapped in an
the war in Ukraine. But it's governors and their energy world. Ferrante said he anticipates emergency.
the worst in the Northeast. directors after Labor Day to
discuss the situation. In the In New England, the im-
Diesel fuel and heating oil, meantime, she has urged mediate concern in the late
which comprise the distil- governors in a letter to take summer is diesel fuel, but the
late category, are 63% below whatever steps they can to winter heating season looms
the five-year average in New shore up fuel supplies in not far behind.
England and 58% below the coming weeks to prevent any
same average from Maryland problems. Heating oil disruptions
to New York, according to a would hit the region hard
survey by the Department of The Energy Department also because the percentage of
Energy. Gasoline inventories sent letters to seven major oil homes that rely on it range
are not as bad, but are still at companies, asking them to from 24% in Massachusetts
their lowest levels in nearly a hold onto their stocks to help to more than 60% in Maine,
decade along the entire East offset low stocks. the most heavily dependent
Coast, the agency said. states.
The federal agency has been
The Northeast is heavily monitoring the problem and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, a
dependent on heating oil to is attempting to be proactive Democrat, has urged the En-
keep homes warm in the with outreach. But there's ergy Department to expedite
winter, while other regions little incentive for buyers to its meeting with governors
rely more on natural gas and stock up on high-priced fuel to talk about maintaining a
electricity. Also, the National for storage because it is an- stable heating oil supply.
Oceanic and Atmospheric ticipated that prices will drop,