NASA rules out March launch for manned moon mission over technical issues | Space News
NASA Delays Artemis 2 Mission Due to Technical Issues
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced this week that the agency’s Artemis 2 mission, planned as the first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades, will not launch as scheduled next month due to technical difficulties.
Engineers identified a problem with the helium flow essential for purging the rocket’s engines and pressurizing fuel tanks on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Isaacman, in a social media post on Saturday, stated, “This issue takes the March launch window out of consideration.”
The agency now plans to explore launch opportunities at the beginning or end of April. Isaacman expressed understanding of public disappointment, emphasizing the commitment of NASA’s team in preparing for the mission.
The Artemis program aims to return humans to the moon amid increasing competition from China, which is targeting 2030 for its first crewed mission. China’s uncrewed Chang’e 7 mission is slated for launch in 2026, focusing on the exploration of the moon’s south pole.
The Artemis 2 mission has faced various delays. Last year, NASA indicated a potential February launch, motivated partly by the desire to outpace China’s efforts. However, the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place only in November 2022 after multiple postponements and technical setbacks.
Earlier this month, technical problems, including a liquid hydrogen leak, interrupted a wet dress rehearsal for Artemis 2. This rehearsal, conducted at Cape Canaveral in Florida, involved full rocket tanks and technical checks, preparing engineers for the actual launch.
The latest technical issue emerged just one day after NASA had targeted March 6 for the Artemis 2 launch. Isaacman confirmed that the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center for further investigation and repairs. Investigators will examine components such as filters, valves, and connection plates for potential faults in the helium system.
A comprehensive briefing is expected in the coming days. The primary objective of the Artemis 2 mission is to conduct a 10-day flight around the moon, laying the groundwork for future crewed missions to Mars while aiming for scientific discovery and economic benefits.
The mission’s crew includes three U.S. astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch—along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Artemis 2 is set to be the furthest human flight into space and the first crewed moon mission since the U.S. Apollo program more than half a century ago. This mission serves as a precursor to a planned astronaut moon landing with Artemis 3, scheduled for 2028.
