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Hydrogen leak delays Artemis II

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NASA delayed the Artemis II crewed lunar launch after engineers found liquid hydrogen leaks during a wet dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency officials said.

ABC
Artemis II | NASA admits problems with its rocket to return to the Moon: 'It's the fastest route, but not the cheapest'

NASA's plan for returning humans to the Moon has just suffered another delay. On Tuesday, NASA completed the wet dress rehearsal (the general rehearsal with fuel) for Artemis II with bittersweet results: the agency said the test met many technical objectives but also revealed a series of problems, including new liquid hydrogen leaks (something that already occurred repeatedly in Artemis I), forcing the launch to be delayed until the second launch window. In other words, we will not see the Space Launch System soar with the Orion spacecraft and the four astronauts aboard — NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen — until at least March 6. 'With more than three years between SLS launches, we expected challenges. Precisely for that reason we carried out a rehearsal.'

Artemis II | NASA admits problems with its rocket to return to the Moon: 'It's the fastest route, but not the cheapest'
Reposts 1 9h

by Stephen P. Smith

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wordsmithfl.bsky.social
#Space #NASA #Artemis

Here's the video of today's NASA media event discussing yesterday's #Artemis2 wet dress rehearsal.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v88...
NASA Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal Media Event, Kennedy Space Center, February 3, 2026
YouTube video by Space SPAN (Space Policy and News)
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 9:14 PM
New York Times
NASA Eyes March Artemis II Launch After Hydrogen Leaks Delay Moon Mission

The agency did not complete a practice countdown for a flight that would be the first to send people around the moon in more than 50 years.

NASA Eyes March Artemis II Launch After Hydrogen Leaks Delay Moon Mission
Reposts 0 1d
Financial Times
Artemis is a throwback to the golden age of lunar exploration

This US programme must contend with the difficulties of returning humans to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years

Reposts 0 1d

by Stephen P. Smith

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wordsmithfl.bsky.social
#Space #NASA #Artemis

From #FloridaToday:

"NASA's last major test of the #Artemis2 moon rocket did not go as hoped ... As a result, the launch was pushed back to no earlier than March 6."

www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/s...
Artemis II launch pushed to March after leak, issues during rocket test
NASA's wet dress rehearsal did not go as smoothly as planned. As a result, the Artemis II launch is now no earlier than March 6. Here's what we know.
www.floridatoday.com
February 3, 2026 at 3:10 PM

by Stephen P. Smith

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wordsmithfl.bsky.social
#Space #NASA #Artemis

#ArsTechnica on the liquid hydrogen leaks during yesterday's #Artemis2 wet dress rehearsal. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman tweeted this morning that the launch is now no earlier than March.

arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until March
NASA spent most of Monday trying to overcome hydrogen leaks on the Artemis II rocket.
arstechnica.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:43 PM

by Stephen P. Smith

5%
wordsmithfl.bsky.social
#Space #NASA #Artemis

NASA terminated yesterday's #Artemis2 wet dress rehearsal early because of a liquid hydrogen leak.

The molecules are so small and LH2 is so cold (-423°F) that microfractures form in delivery and storage systems causing leaks.

www.nasa.gov/blogs/missio...
Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal: Test Terminated at T-5:15 - NASA
The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown was terminated at the T-5:15 minute mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the interface of the tail service mast
www.nasa.gov
February 3, 2026 at 10:43 AM

by Ajay Agrawal

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