NASA has rescheduled the Artemis II mission launch to March following the discovery of a liquid hydrogen leak during a recent wet dress rehearsal. Initially planned for February 8, the mission aims to send four astronauts on a 10-day lunar journey. The next launch window is set for March 6 to March 11, with specific launch dates determined by complex orbital calculations.
During the rehearsal, NASA encountered challenges with the liquid hydrogen loading process due to the identified leak. Despite troubleshooting efforts, issues with a valve and ground audio interruptions occurred, causing delays in operations. However, the team managed to complete hydrogen tanking and glean valuable insights from the exercise.
Efforts are underway to address the rocket issues without relocating it from the launchpad, a time-consuming process as witnessed during its previous transport. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the importance of such rehearsals in identifying and rectifying potential issues before the actual launch.
The four astronauts, including Canadian Space Agency’s Jeremy Hansen and NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, have been released from quarantine following the launch rescheduling. They will re-enter quarantine closer to the new launch window. The Artemis II mission is part of NASA’s Artemis program, focusing on testing vital spacecraft functions for future crewed lunar missions and establishing a sustained presence on the moon. NASA will evaluate data from the recent rehearsal to plan for the upcoming wet dress rehearsal.