tech
February 3, 2026
Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March
NASA spent most of Monday trying to overcome hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket.
TL;DR
- Artemis II mission launch delayed to at least March due to hydrogen leaks.
- Hydrogen leaks were discovered during a fueling test (wet dress rehearsal) at Kennedy Space Center.
- The leaks occurred in the connection between the rocket and its launch platform.
- These recurring leaks are similar to issues that delayed the unpiloted Artemis I mission.
- The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a loop around the Moon.
- The test countdown also encountered other glitches, including issues with the Orion spacecraft hatch and communication systems.
- NASA aims to address the leaks and other issues before setting a new launch date.