Watch NASA roll Artemis 2 moon rocket off launch pad on Feb. 25 to deal with glitch
Space.com
by Mike Wall February 24, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
NASA is set to roll back its Artemis 2 moon rocket from the launch pad on Wednesday (Feb. 25) due to a helium flow issue that emerged after a successful wet dress rehearsal (WDR). The delay comes just days after NASA had announced plans for a potential March 6 launch attempt following a second WDR, which went smoothly despite earlier setbacks.
The Artemis 2 mission, featuring the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft, rolled out to Pad 39B on Jan. 17. Initial progress was halted in February when a leak of liquid hydrogen (LH2) propellant during the first WDR led to an early conclusion. However, after replacing seals in the affected area, the second WDR in late February was completed without major issues, paving the way for a possible March launch. This timeline was disrupted by the helium flow interruption on Feb. 20-21, which required NASA to revert the rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for troubleshooting.
The helium issue is significant as it affects the pressurization of the SLS' propellant tanks, which hold about 730,000 gallons of LH2 and liquid oxygen. With this latest setback, the March launch window is now out of reach, pushing Artemis 2 into April, where a new window opens on April 1 with additional opportunities between April 3-6 and April 3
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/24/2026