NASA Delays Artemis II Moon Mission Launch

Washington: (Web Desk) – NASA has postponed the launch of its Artemis II mission, the first crewed flyby of the Moon in more than 50 years, shifting the timeline from February to March after a fuel leak was detected during a critical pre-launch test. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the decision was made following the completion of the wet dress rehearsal, during which teams encountered a liquid hydrogen leak at a core stage interface while fueling the rocket.

Despite successfully filling all tanks and reaching the final minutes of the countdown, the leak intensified, prompting engineers to halt operations. Isaacman emphasized that the agency would proceed with the launch only when fully confident in mission readiness. The rehearsal, conducted at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was intended to be the final major test before launch and included fueling more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants, simulating a full countdown, and practicing safe propellant removal.

NASA Pushes Artemis 2 Moon Launch Due Cold

The test had already faced delays due to freezing weather conditions at the launch site. With the revised schedule, the four-member astronaut crew will exit quarantine and resume preparations closer to the next launch window, expected to open in March.