NASA Sets March Launch for Artemis II After Fueling Test Success

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Azat TV) – NASA has successfully completed a crucial wet dress rehearsal for its Artemis II Moon mission, paving the way for the first crewed lunar orbit in over 50 years, now targeted for launch as early as March 6, 2026, from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This critical milestone comes after engineers addressed hydrogen fuel leak issues that had previously hampered the mission’s preparations, including an earlier rehearsal and the uncrewed Artemis I launch in 2022.

The successful test, conducted on Thursday, February 19, involved loading 700,000 gallons of ultra-cold liquid propellants into the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and running through a full countdown sequence. Launch controllers, who reported to their consoles on Tuesday evening, meticulously practiced holding and restarting the clock, and even rehearsed a scrub (canceled launch scenario) by draining the tanks. This comprehensive rehearsal aimed to ensure the rocket, ground systems, and launch team could operate seamlessly under real-world conditions.

Artemis II Overcomes Fueling Challenges

The latest wet dress rehearsal was a direct response to issues encountered during an earlier attempt in early February, where significant hydrogen fuel leaks were detected. Hydrogen, known for its small molecules, is notoriously prone to leakage. Engineers replaced a filter in the ground support equipment and reconnected the line, leading to the Thursday test’s exceptionally low seepage levels, as confirmed by launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman commended the ‘major progress’ made between the two rehearsals, noting the successful completion was ‘a big step toward America’s return to the lunar environment,’ according to an update on social media platform X.

The Historic Artemis II Mission and Crew

The Artemis II mission is set to send four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon without landing, marking humanity’s return to deep space after more than half a century. The crew comprises NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Hammock Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. This mission will test the Orion spaceship’s life-support systems and the SLS rocket’s performance with a crew onboard for the first time. The astronauts began their mandatory two-week health quarantine on Friday, February 20, in Houston, preparing for the historic flight.

Mission leaders have identified five potential launch opportunities in March, starting with March 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11, followed by additional windows in early April. The timing is crucial, as launch windows are dictated by the Moon’s orbital position, creating roughly one week of opportunities at the start of each month.

Enhanced Scrutiny on NASA’s Artemis Program Safety

The successful Artemis II test comes amidst heightened scrutiny on NASA’s safety protocols, especially following a recent ‘Type A’ mishap designation for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft test flight. While the Starliner incident highlighted critical vulnerabilities in commercial human spaceflight, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has emphasized that the Artemis II mission operates under ‘very different’ development and oversight models. The Artemis rocket and spacecraft were developed primarily in-house at NASA using ‘cost-plus’ contracts, leveraging components from the Space Shuttle program. Isaacman affirmed that ‘there cannot be enough eyes on this program,’ confirming that additional sets of eyes have been dispatched to oversee the Artemis II campaign, underscoring the agency’s commitment to safety for this monumental mission.

The successful resolution of persistent fueling issues for Artemis II demonstrates NASA’s rigorous approach to safety and operational readiness, signaling a critical advancement toward resuming human exploration of the lunar environment and laying foundational groundwork for future Moon landings.