Artemis II Rainbird Testing

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and supporting contractors conduct prototype testing of a new rainbird system at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2021, that can be used for the crewed Artemis II mission to the Moon. Rainbirds are large water nozzles located on the mobile launcher (ML) that release a high volume of water when the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket lifts off, protecting the vehicle, launch pad, and ML by absorbing some of the heat and energy generated during launch. The test involved running various water pressures through small-scale, 3D-printed nozzles to capture data that can be used to develop full-scale replacement nozzles for future missions under the Artemis program.