NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket returns to hangar for repairs. When could it fly?
Space.com
by Josh Dinner February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket has been rolled back to its hangar at Kennedy Space Center following an unexpected issue during a recent wet dress rehearsal. The Space Launch System (SLS) encountered a helium flow problem in its Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, which was detected after completing the successful fueling test on February 21. This issue forced NASA to halt its countdown and move the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repairs, delaying the planned launch.
The helium tanks are only accessible when the rocket is inside the VAB, making it necessary for NASA to roll back the SLS from Launch Complex-39B. The rollback process took approximately 10.5 hours, with the 322-foot-tall rocket moving at a slow pace of 1 mph along the 4-mile path. Engineers will now work to diagnose and address the issue in High Bay 3 of the VAB. While this marks another setback for the Artemis program, NASA aims to learn from past challenges and avoid repeating previous issues, such as those encountered during Artemis 1.
The delay pushes back the target launch window, which was initially set for early April. NASA hopes to complete a third wet dress rehearsal before the new launch date. The agency is under pressure to ensure the mission's success, as Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts on a historic journey to lunar orbit—a key step toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/26/2026