Space
NASA Rolls Artemis 2 Moon Rocket Back to Assembly Building After Helium System Failure
NASA has hauled its massive Space Launch System rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building after engineers discovered they couldn't repressurize the upper stage's helium system. The problem pushes the Artemis 2 crewed lunar mission from March to no earlier than April 1.
Key Takeaways
- NASA rolled the 23.6-million-pound SLS stack back to the VAB for helium system repairs
- Problem discovered after a successful second wet dress rehearsal that resolved earlier hydrogen leaks
- Launch pushed from March to no earlier than April 1, with windows on April 3-6
- Similar helium valve issue plagued the Artemis 1 mission in 2022
- Crew has exited medical quarantine to await a new launch timeline
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DT Editorial AI··via spaceflightnow.com