NASA's Artemis II Moon mission faces potential delay
NASA's Artemis II Moon mission just hit a speed bump—a helium flow issue has prompted teams to prepare to potentially roll back the rocket and Orion spacecraft to the assembly building for checks.
Helium is key for launch, so this could push back the planned early February 2026 liftoff (earliest possible 8 February 2026).
Crew in quarantine for upcoming mission
Even with the helium hiccup, NASA nailed a full wet dress rehearsal earlier this week—loading up propellant, closing hatches, and running countdowns.
The four-person crew (including Christina Koch and Victor Glover) is already in quarantine in Houston, prepping for their 10-day lunar flyby that will test Orion's deep space chops.
Earliest launch window opens 8 February 2026
Technicians are getting things ready as high winds are forecast.
NASA will review all data before making a final call on launch timing—the earliest shot is now 8 February 2026.
If all goes well, Artemis II will be the first time humans fly past the Moon since 1972—a big step toward putting astronauts back on the lunar surface no earlier than 2028.