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Artemis II Moon Mission Faces Another Delay After Helium Flow Issue
Cape Canaveral, FL – NASA’s highly anticipated Artemis II mission, which aims to send astronauts around the moon, is likely facing another launch delay. The space agency announced Saturday that a helium flow problem discovered overnight Friday could push the mission back, potentially out of its targeted March launch window.
Crews at the Kennedy Space Center observed an interruption in the flow of helium during the rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. This critical gas is essential for maintaining proper environmental conditions for the stage’s engine and for pressurizing the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks.
While helium performed as expected during previous “wet dress rehearsals” for Artemis, teams encountered difficulties with its flow during normal operations following the February 19th rehearsals. NASA stated that operators are currently using a backup method to maintain the necessary environmental conditions for the upper stage engines, and the rocket remains in a safe configuration.
The discovery means the rocket and Orion spacecraft may need to be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building. Such a move would effectively rule out a March launch. However, NASA officials expressed optimism that quick preparations could still preserve an April launch window, pending the outcome of data analysis, repair efforts, and schedule adjustments in the coming days and weeks.
The Artemis II mission is set to carry four astronauts-Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen-on a historic journey around the moon and back. This mission marks a significant milestone, being the first human spaceflight to the moon since the Apollo program concluded in 1972.
The mission was previously delayed last month due to fuel leaks identified during a test run. The unmanned Artemis I mission successfully orbited the moon in 2022.