NASA delays Artemis II mission due to this issue
NASA has hit pause on its next big Moon mission, Artemis II, which was supposed to launch March 6.
The reason? A helium flow issue popped up during a routine check—something similar happened back in 2022 with Artemis I.
Jared Isaacman posted an update confirming the helium-flow problem.
Engineers are looking into the issue
Engineers said the interruption could be due to a fault in the umbilical arm or a failed check valve inside the rocket.
To fix it, the rocket and Orion spacecraft may be taken back to Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building for further inspection.
A new launch date has not been announced; the mission's March window was canceled and the vehicle is being rolled back for repairs.
More about Artemis II mission
Artemis II will send astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen around the Moon for 10 days—the farthest humans have traveled since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Their journey is all about paving the way for future lunar exploration.