NASA to roll back launch of manned Moon mission after Helium flow discovery

WASHINGTON: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will roll back the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II off the launch pad, delaying the most-awaited crewed flyby mission to the Moon.

This comes after NASA encountered an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage, the space agency said in a statement.

“On February 21, managers decided to remove recently installed platforms before high winds descended on the Space Coast, which poised teams for rollback while discussions about the issue were ongoing. Returning to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida is required to determine the cause of the issue and fix it”, NASA said

As soon as Tuesday, Feb. 24, we will roll our Moon rocket for our Artemis II mission off the launch pad, weather pending. Engineers are continuing to prepare for the move after encountering an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage. Details:… pic.twitter.com/DPX6vjg0q5

— NASA (@NASA) February 22, 2026

The space agency said that the quick work to begin preparations for rolling the rocket and spacecraft back to the VAB potentially preserves the April launch window, pending the outcome of data findings, repair efforts, and how the schedule comes to fruition in the coming days and weeks.

The Artemis II crew members were released from quarantine the evening of February 21 and remain in Houston. The launch of Artemis II was scheduled for March 6. The goal of the Artemis 2 mission, a 10-day flight around the Moon and back, is to “explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars”, according to NASA.

The planned Artemis 2 crew includes three US astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is poised to be the farthest human flight into space ever, and the first crewed Moon mission since the US Apollo programme more than half a century ago.

Artemis 2 is a precursor to NASA’s planned astronaut Moon landing with Artemis 3, which is scheduled for 2028. (ANI)