Lightning Strikes at Kennedy Space Center as NASA Prepares For Launch

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Lightning struck launch towers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, August 27, two days before the anticipated liftoff of the agency’s Artemis 1 moon mission on Monday morning.

Footage captured by Scott Schilke shows scenes from the center on Saturday afternoon.

In a Saturday evening update, NASA officials said the lightning strikes were likely "of low magnitude” and that the agency was investigating whether they may have affected the Artemis 1 stack.

Artemis I will be the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems, according to NASA’s website. The primary goal is to demonstrate that the systems are ready to start safely launching astronauts to the moon and other deep-space destinations.

“This is a mission that truly will do what hasn’t been done and learn what isn’t known,” said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Favorable weather conditions for a successful launch include no precipitation or lightning within ten nautical miles of the pad, according to NASA. Credit: Scott Schilke via Storyful

Video Transcript

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