NASA is now targeting March to launch the Artemis II lunar mission after problems were discovered during a pre-launch test, according to a Feb. 3 news release from NASA.
What happened: NASA had hoped to launch the mission as early as Feb. 8. However, during a Feb. 3 pre-launch test, known as a wet dress rehearsal, engineers discovered a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface used to route the cryogenic propellant into the rocket’s core stage, according to the release.
What they’re saying: “The wet dress rehearsal we had last night was a critical milestone on the way to Artemis II,” NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya said at a Feb. 3 press briefing. “... It allowed our teams to test all the systems required and the all-up configuration. I think it’s clear based on what we saw in real-time that we’re now targeting no earlier than March for the Artemis II launch.”
The earliest next launch opportunities are March 6, 7, 8, 9 or 11, according to NASA’s website.
