{"id":"f-73cd9b4b27-08ac8b65-e120-5020-ad13-c53aec78a084","title":"NASA is repairing Artemis II rocket ahead of second Wet Dress Rehearsal","description":"Leaks are being plugged on NASA’s Artemis II rocket, leading up to the second Wet Dress Rehearsal. No firm date has been fixed yet for the launch, with NASA currently aiming for the flight in March 2026.","timestamp":1770644426,"category":"technology","headline":"NASA is repairing Artemis II rocket ahead of second Wet Dress Rehearsal","modifiedHeadline":"Artemis II delay: NASA fixes rocket leaks","subCategories":["scid_a1828536"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"b162fe12-9cac-4117-a958-cc0604a457de","bundleTitle":"Science Simplified","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"472","fcSummary":"nasa's artemis ii moon mission is delayed due to liquid hydrogen leaks and valve issues found during a recent wet dress rehearsal. engineers are analyzing seals and planning further tests before a new launch attempt in march 2026, with adjusted rehearsal procedures.","summary":"NASA fixes Artemis II rocket leaks before second rehearsal, targeting a March 2026 launch.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/astrology/IN/en/news9/f-73cd9b4b27-08ac8b65-e120-5020-ad13-c53aec78a084","sourceUrl":"https://www.news9live.com/science/nasa-is-repairing-artemis-ii-rocket-ahead-of-second-wet-dress-rehearsal-2928445","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/b2fT7ErjmYs0.webp","content":"

New Delhi: NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight to the Moon since the Apollo missions over 50 years ago, faces a delay because of issues

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that cropped up during a wet dress rehearsal that was completed on 3 February, 2026 at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Cryogenic propellant was successfully loaded into the core and upper stages of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the first time, using a new 5.3 million litre hydrogen sphere. The teams rehearsed fuelling and pre-launch procedures. The countdown stopped automatically five minutes and 15 seconds before liftoff due to to liquid hydrogen leaks.

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Hydrogen gas concentrations exceeded the 16 per cent safety limit in the umbilical cavity, increasing the risk of ignition to unacceptable levels. Engineers also noted a valve issue on the Orion crew module during hatch pressurisation requiring retorquing, along with frequent dropouts in ground comms. After draining the propellants, technicians accessed the tail service mast umbilical on the mobile launcher, detached the interface plates, inspected the area and replaced two seals around the fuel lines. The removed seals are now being analysed to find the cause of the leaks. The reconnection of the interfaces was completed on 9 February.

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NASA aiming to launch Artemis II in March

Additional repair testing is planned at the Stennis Space Centre in Mississippi. NASA intends to conduct another Wet Dress Rehearsal before launch, with fuel loaded into the rocket. For the next rehearsal, the Orion hatch will be closed beforehand with no closeout crew at the pad. The crew access arm has already been demonstrated and will be skipped for the next rehearsal as well. There will be 30 extra minutes provided for two countdown holds for troubleshooting, extending the total countdown by one hour without impacting the day-of-launch timeline for the crew.

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The four astronauts on the mission, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen existed quarantine on 3 February. They continue training in Houston on Orion systems and mission flight days. They will re-enter quarantine about two weeks before the next launch attempt. NASA is now aiming for March 2026 as the earliest launch window, following a successful wet dress rehearsal and data review. No firm date has been set. The work is being conducted at the launchpad itself, without the rocket being rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

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NASA is repairing Artemis II rocket ahead of second Wet Dress Rehearsal

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