The House Launch System, with the Orion crew capsule, stands at launch advanced 39B throughout the Moist Gown Rehearsal, a full-scale countdown and propellant load, for the Artemis II mission to the Moon at Kennedy House Heart in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Feb. 2, 2026.
Steve Nesius | Reuters
NASA’s new moon rocket suffered one other setback Saturday, nearly sure to bump astronauts’ first lunar journey in many years into spring.
The house company revealed the newest downside simply someday after concentrating on March 6 for the Artemis II mission, humanity’s first flight to the moon in additional than half a century. In a single day, the circulate of helium to the rocket’s higher stage was interrupted, officers mentioned. Strong helium circulate is crucial for purging the engines and pressurizing the gas tanks.
This helium problem has nothing to do with the hydrogen gas leaks that marred a countdown costume rehearsal of the House Launch System rocket earlier this month and compelled a repeat take a look at.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman mentioned a nasty filter, valve or connection plate may very well be in charge for the stalled helium circulate. Whatever the trigger, he famous, the one method to entry the realm and repair the issue is within the Car Meeting Constructing at Kennedy House Heart.
“We are going to start preparations for rollback, and it will take the March launch window out of consideration,” Isaacman mentioned through X. NASA’s subsequent alternatives could be in the beginning or finish of April.
Earlier within the morning, NASA mentioned it was making ready to return the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket to its hangar for repairs, whereas elevating the potential for the work being achieved on the pad.
“I perceive individuals are disillusioned by this growth,” Isaacman mentioned. “That disappointment is felt most by the workforce at NASA, who’ve been working tirelessly to arrange for this nice endeavor.”
Hydrogen gas leaks had already delayed the Artemis II lunar fly-around by a month. A second fueling take a look at on Thursday revealed hardly any leaks, giving managers the arrogance to intention for a March liftoff. The 4 astronauts went into their two-week quarantine Friday evening, obligatory for avoiding germs.
The interrupted helium circulate is confined to the SLS rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. This higher stage is crucial for putting the Orion crew capsule into the right high-altitude orbit round Earth for checkout, following liftoff. After that, it is imagined to separate from Orion and function a goal for the astronauts contained in the capsule, permitting them to follow docking strategies for future moon missions.
Throughout NASA’s Apollo program, 24 astronauts flew to the moon from 1968 via 1972. The brand new Artemis program has accomplished just one flight to this point, a lunar-orbiting mission with out a crew in 2022. That first take a look at flight was additionally stricken by hydrogen gas leaks earlier than blasting off, in addition to a helium problem just like the one which arose Saturday. The primary moon touchdown with a crew underneath Artemis continues to be at the least a couple of years away.
