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NASA will return its moon rocket to the hangar for more repairs before astronauts strap in
NASA discovered a helium flow issue critical for engine purge and fuel tank pressurization, causing a rollback and likely delaying Artemis II launch to April, officials said.
- This week NASA's Artemis II moon rocket is headed back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and is grounded until at least April, with Tuesday targeted for the slow rollback.
- Engineers had just finished repeat fueling tests when NASA detected a helium-system malfunction disrupting helium flow to the upper stage, needed to purge engines and pressurize fuel tanks.
- The three Americans and one Canadian assigned to Artemis II remain on standby in Houston, and the mission will be the first human lunar flight since the Apollo program’s 24 astronauts.
- NASA said the quick rollback preparations aim to preserve an April launch attempt, but emphasized the timeline depends on repair speed with limited monthly launch opportunities for the crew of four.
- Consecutive propellant issues—hydrogen leaks then helium malfunction—further delay astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century and complicate NASA's return to deep-space exploration.
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Artemis 2 Rollback Means Moonshot Won't Happen In March 2026
Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service/Getty ImagesThose with their eyes on the sky, waiting for the historic return to the Moon for the first time in the 21st century, will have to wait a little bit longer. The Artemis II launch, initially scheduled for February 8, 2026, and then rescheduled for early March 2026, the launch has been rescheduled again. On February 21, NASA’s director, Jared Isaacsman, confirmed that due to an issue with the flow …
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources40
Leaning Left6Leaning Right3Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution44% Center
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources are Center
44% Center
L 37%
C 44%
R 19%
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