CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA says it must wait until at least March before launching its next moon mission because of problems found while preparing the rocket for liftoff. The flight was expected this month, but engineers found leaks during an important practice test.
The mission is called Artemis II. It would be the first time in more than 50 years that astronauts travel around the moon and back. Four crew members — three Americans and one Canadian — are scheduled to fly.
NASA’s big moon rocket and crew capsule were on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts had been staying in quarantine near Houston to stay healthy before liftoff.
Before a launch, NASA does a full practice called a “wet dress rehearsal.” In that test, the rocket is filled with super-cold fuel just like it would be on launch day. Engineers found liquid hydrogen fuel leaking from parts of the rocket during the drill.
The leaks stopped the test early, and NASA officials said they need time to review the results and fix any problems. They also want to run another test before they set a new launch date in March.
The flight will send the four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon and back to Earth. They will not land on the moon this time, but they will test life-support systems and other equipment needed for future moon landings.
This delay adds more time to a program that has seen several setbacks over the years. NASA’s first uncrewed Artemis mission in 2022 was also delayed several times because of hydrogen leaks found in testing.
Officials said the mission is part of NASA’s plan to eventually put astronauts on the moon again and build a long-term human presence there. That includes a future mission that will land on the moon’s south pole.