NASA delays Artemis II moon mission to April over rocket system issue

NASA has delayed its Artemis II mission to the moon until at least April after engineers identified a new issue with the rocket's helium system, the agency said Saturday.

The mission, initially scheduled for March 6, would have marked the first crewed lunar flight in more than 50 years. However, the problem detected during routine testing led mission managers to rule out the March launch window.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the issue may involve a faulty filter, valve or connection plate. He said the only way to inspect and repair the affected area is to roll the 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket back to its hangar at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"We will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration," Isaacman said in a post on US-based social media platform X. He added that the next available launch opportunities would be in early or late April.

NASA said the latest issue is not related to previous hydrogen fuel leaks that delayed earlier launch attempts. A recent fueling test had cleared the mission for a possible March launch before the new problem emerged.

Artemis II is planned to send astronauts around the moon and back, marking the first such mission since NASA's Apollo program ended in 1972. The Artemis program completed its first uncrewed lunar mission in 2022.