No fooling: NASA targets April 1 for Artemis II launch to the Moon
The 322-foot SLS rocket is cleared for launch after engineers resolved a critical upper-stage helium flow issue.
NASA has cleared a major technical hurdle for the Artemis II mission, setting the stage for a potential crewed launch to the Moon as early as April 1. The agency fixed a helium flow issue in the rocket's upper stage that forced the 322-foot-tall Space Launch System (SLS) back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on February 25. Inspections revealed a dislodged seal was obstructing a quick-disconnect valve; the team reassembled the system and validated the repair. This resolves the last known major issue after the rocket successfully completed a critical fueling test on February 21, overcoming a previous hydrogen leak.
The SLS and Orion spacecraft will return to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center later this month for final pre-launch work. This includes replacing flight termination system batteries, refreshing batteries on the core stage, upper stage, and solid rocket boosters, and replacing a seal on the core stage liquid oxygen feed line. NASA has identified five consecutive launch opportunities from April 1-6, with a two-hour window opening each day. Artemis II will be the first human mission to lunar vicinity since Apollo 17 in 1972, carrying four astronauts on a lunar flyby to test systems for future Artemis Moon landings.
- Engineers fixed a critical helium flow issue in the SLS upper stage caused by a dislodged seal in a quick-disconnect valve.
- The rocket will return to Launch Pad 39B later this month, with the first launch opportunity set for April 1 at 6:24 pm EDT.
- Artemis II is the first crewed mission to the Moon's vicinity since 1972, testing systems for the planned 2028 lunar landing.
Why It Matters
This launch is a critical test flight for NASA's Artemis program, paving the way for the first human lunar landing since the Apollo era.