NASA’s preparations for its next Artemis moon mission faced a setback after a hydrogen leak disrupted a critical pre-launch fueling test for its new moon rocket. The issue occurred during a full countdown rehearsal at the Kennedy Space Center, raising uncertainty over whether the mission can lift off this month.
The 322-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was being loaded with more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and oxygen to simulate the final hours before launch. Around two hours into the operation, sensors detected excess hydrogen near the base of the rocket, prompting engineers to halt fueling. By that time, only about half of the core stage had been filled.
NASA teams immediately worked to fix the problem using techniques developed during the rocket’s first uncrewed flight three years ago, which was also plagued by hydrogen leaks. The four-member Artemis crew three Americans and one Canadian are monitoring the situation remotely from Houston while remaining in quarantine. The space agency is already behind schedule due to severe cold weather that delayed the test by two days. If the fueling rehearsal is completed successfully, NASA could attempt a launch as early as Sunday. However, the mission must lift off by February 11 or be postponed until March.
The nearly ten-day mission will send astronauts on a flyby around the moon before returning to Earth, marking NASA’s first crewed lunar voyage in more than 50 years under the Artemis program.
Hydrogen Leak Halts NASA’s Moon Rocket Test Ahead of Artemis Launch
