NASA Delays Artemis II Test Launch to March

NASA has announced the postponement of the test launch for its historic Artemis II lunar mission, now rescheduled for March, citing a liquid hydrogen leak detected in the rocket’s tail during fueling operations.

The launch had originally been planned for 3 February at 05:00 Moscow time. Engineers identified the hydrogen issue while the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was on the fueling platform, prompting a precautionary delay to ensure astronaut safety and mission integrity.

Artemis II marks NASA’s first crewed mission around the Moon since 1972, representing a major step in the agency’s Artemis program aimed at establishing sustainable lunar exploration. 

The mission will carry four astronauts, three Americans and one Canadian, aboard the Orion spacecraft for a historic 10-day orbital journey around the Moon.

This mission is designed to test critical spacecraft systems, life-support protocols, and deep-space navigation, paving the way for future Artemis missions that will ultimately return humans to the lunar surface. NASA officials emphasized that safety remains the top priority, with the delay allowing engineers to address the hydrogen leak and conduct additional pre-launch verifications.