NASA delays Artemis II Moon mission after fuel leaks in rocket test

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a delay in its much-anticipated Artemis-II mission by at least a month.

The reason for the delay is the detection of fuel leaks during a crucial pre-launch test of the rocket by engineers.

For Artemis II, four astronauts were about to start a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth. It was scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

However, NASA has now announced that the launch is delayed until March, with no specific date.

The problem was identified during a “wet dress rehearsal,” a full countdown simulation in which the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket was loaded with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

During the fueling process, engineers detected hydrogen leaks. Additionally, there was an issue with a valve linked to the Orion crew capsule.

More than 2.6 million litres of propellant were loaded during the test, which was halted several times to address safety concerns.

Officials confirmed that the teams will conduct a detailed review of the data and may carry out another rehearsal before clearing the rocket for flight.