NASA Delays Artemis II Moon Mission After Rocket Issues

WASHINGTON: NASA has postponed its historic Artemis II mission to send astronauts around the moon and back. The delay came after issues appeared during a critical test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The launch had been planned as early as next week from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASA now says the mission will be delayed until March, without specifying an exact date.

During a launch rehearsal known as a “wet dress rehearsal,” engineers detected hydrogen leaks from the rocket. Teams also faced a problem with a valve linked to the Orion capsule. The capsule will house four astronauts during the 10-day mission. NASA said engineers worked through several challenges during the two-day test. Teams will fully review all test data before rescheduling the launch.

The delay frustrates the crew, who have been in quarantine for nearly two weeks. NASA wants to prevent the astronauts from picking up illnesses before the mission. Artemis II will mark the first human journey around the moon in over 50 years. Christina Koch will become the first woman, and Victor Glover the first person of color, to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

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This will be the second flight of NASA’s SLS rocket. The first, Artemis I in 2022, was an uncrewed mission that also faced hydrogen leaks. Unlike Artemis III, the crew will not enter lunar orbit. However, the astronauts will make the full 685,000-mile round trip around the moon. The mission sets the stage for future lunar landings and permanent presence on the moon.

NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface. The program is named after the Greek goddess of the moon and Apollo’s twin sister. Artemis II will demonstrate critical systems for future missions near the lunar south pole. NASA sees the mission as a key milestone in deep-space exploration and human spaceflight.