NASA encountered a leak during the fueling process of its latest moon rocket on Monday, marking a crucial test in determining the timeline for astronauts’ launch on a lunar fly-around. The 98-meter rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Florida was being loaded with super-cold hydrogen and oxygen, with over 2.6 million liters required to be onboard for several hours to simulate the final stages of a real countdown.
However, the operation faced a setback as excessive hydrogen was detected near the rocket’s base a few hours into the process, leading to a temporary halt in hydrogen loading with only half of the core stage filled. Loading was briefly paused and resumed after about an hour, followed by another brief halt before resuming around 4 p.m. ET.
The launch team employed strategies developed during a previous Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launch to address the issue. Astronauts from the Canadian Space Agency and NASA monitored the rehearsal from Houston, where they had been in quarantine, awaiting the outcome to determine the launch schedule for the first crewed lunar voyage in over 50 years.
Due to a weather delay caused by cold weather, NASA postponed the launch by two days. The countdown clocks were set to halt just before engine ignition, allowing controllers to address any remaining issues. If the fueling test proceeds as planned, Commander Wiseman and his crew could launch to the moon as early as Sunday, with a deadline to fly by February 11 before the mission is rescheduled for March. NASA has limited launch windows each month, and February’s window has been shortened due to extreme cold conditions.
The upcoming nearly 10-day mission aims to test the capsule’s life support and essential systems by sending astronauts beyond the moon and around its far side before returning to Earth. This mission is part of NASA’s Artemis program, which seeks to establish a sustained human presence on the moon, paving the way for future moon landings by various astronauts.