KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — After a major test for the Artemis II mission, NASA says it is now targeting March for a potential launch.
The delay follows the identification of technical issues during a launch rehearsal.
The four mission astronauts will be released from quarantine while teams address issues with the Space Launch System rocket.
The extra time allows NASA teams to review data and perform more testing before the rocket begins its 10-day trip around the moon.
The mission’s four astronauts entered quarantine on Jan. 21.
Technical difficulties during the rehearsal began when a leak forced teams to stop the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage of the SLS rocket.
Loading operations for the liquid hydrogen eventually resumed after troubleshooting.
Beyond the leak, NASA personnel identified several other mechanical and operational issues.
A valve associated with the Orion crew module hatch pressurization required retorquing and general closeout operations, which took longer than teams had scheduled.
Ground teams also reported audio communication dropouts across various channels during the test.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman noted that the agency anticipated encountering hurdles during the preparation process.
Teams will continue to review data from the previous test and conduct a second rehearsal run before the flight.
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