US EditionNASA to Roll Back Artemis II for Troubleshooting; Will Miss March Launch Window
NASA delayed Artemis II launch to no earlier than April after helium flow issues forced rollback of the Space Launch System rocket for repairs in the Vehicle Assembly Building.
- NASA will roll the Artemis II rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, removing the March launch window from consideration.
- On Saturday, engineers observed an interrupted helium flow to the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, halting pressurization and purging because helium remains gaseous and inert at cryogenic temperatures.
- NASA had earlier replaced seals near the tail service mast umbilical interface after a hydrogen leak, and used a backup flushing method following the helium flow issue, which Jared Isaacman listed as caused by a faulty filter, valve, or quick-disconnect.
- The rollback covers about four miles and can take up to 12 hours, raising questions about hardware stress and potential hydrogen leak aggravation, NASA said.
- If repairs proceed quickly, NASA could target April launch dates including April 1, April 3–6, and April 30, but a months-long delay remains possible given Artemis I's three rollbacks and eight-month gap.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Artemis rocket heads back to its hangar for repairs as moonshot put on hold
NASA on Wednesday is set to roll its enormous Space Launch System rocket back to the hangar for repairs, a move that will delay the launch of four astronauts on a long-awaited flight around the moon by at least a month
NASA to roll back the Artemis 2 moon rocket Wednesday for surprise repairs
After more than five weeks of sitting on its Florida launchpad, the Artemis II rocket will head back to its hangar for some unanticipated repairs, without having launched to the moon. As long as the weather holds up, NASA is targeting 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, for the move to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Four miles may seem like a short trip, but when billions of dollars' worth of hardware ar…
NASA opts to roll back moon rocket and delay crew’s historic trip into deep space
NASA’s efforts to get the Artemis II mission off the ground have stalled once again, as engineers navigate a new issue with the rocket set to launch four astronauts around the moon.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
