Helium Hitch: NASA Postpones Artemis II Crewed Lunar Mission
NASA has officially postponed the highly anticipated Artemis II mission, shifting the target launch from March to potentially April 2026.
The decision followed a helium flow interruption discovered on February 21, shortly after a successful second wet dress rehearsal, which is a full-scale practice run of a launch countdown that includes almost every step except for the actual ignition of the engines.
Helium is critical for maintaining environmental conditions and pressure in the rocket’s upper stage; notably, similar issues also plagued the uncrewed Artemis I mission.
In a clear sign of a significant delay, NASA released the four-person crew, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, from pre-launch quarantine over the weekend.
The massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to be rolled back from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) starting February 24. This 4-mile journey, facilitated by NASA’s iconic Crawler-Transporter, allows engineers to access and repair the propulsion system in a controlled environment.
Artemis II is set to be the first crewed mission to deep space in over 50 years, performing a lunar flyby.
Despite the setback, NASA officials remain optimistic that the quick transition to the VAB will preserve the April launch window, which offers opportunities between April 1 and April 6, 2026.
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