NASA has targeted a March launch window for Artemis 2, the next major mission in its Artemis programme to send astronauts around the Moon. The mission was delayed after a liquid hydrogen leak was detected during a key wet dress rehearsal, a full launch simulation designed to test systems before flight. Artemis 2 is the second mission in the multibillion-dollar programme and the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo-era missions ended in 1972.
Mission Overview
Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon. The crew includes three United States astronauts and one Canadian astronaut. The flight is a critical precursor to NASA’s planned return of humans to the lunar surface. It will also be the farthest humans have travelled from Earth in a crewed mission.
Cause Of Delay
The launch attempt was postponed after a leak of liquid hydrogen occurred at an interface used to route cryogenic propellant into the rocket’s core stage. NASA said the issue was identified during the wet dress rehearsal. The agency also noted intermittent ground audio dropouts and longer-than-expected closeout operations for the Orion crew capsule.
Importance Of Wet Dress Rehearsal
A wet dress rehearsal is a full launch countdown simulation with propellant loaded into the rocket. It helps engineers detect technical faults before launch. NASA said such tests are essential to improve the probability of success on launch day, especially for the Space Launch System rocket, which has not flown frequently.
Next Steps
NASA plans to conduct another wet dress rehearsal before confirming the March launch window. The astronauts, who had been quarantined since 21 January in anticipation of launch, will be released following the delay. Artemis 2 remains a major step towards NASA’s first astronaut moon landing in more than five decades.
Last Modified: April 27, 2026