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fILE – This image shows NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft rolling out of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. NASA’s massive crawler-transporter, upgraded for the Artemis program, carries the powerful SLS
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Artemis II mission is likely to be pushed back after overnight data revealed an interruption in helium flow within the Space Launch System’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage.Â
According to NASA, teams are now troubleshooting the issue and preparing for a possible rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center.
The delay is expected to impact the planned March launch window. NASA will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
The highly anticipated mission will send four astronauts around the moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years. Orion will not land on the lunar surface.
Dr. Lori Glaze, NASA’s Moon to Mars program manager, said the agency is confident but emphasized the mission remains a test flight. It will be the first time SLS and Orion fly with a crew and the first time several onboard systems operate in a crewed environment.
Backup launch opportunities are available on March 7, 8, 9 and 11 if needed.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by NASA on February 21, 2026.