NASA Delays Artemis II Mission to March 2026 Amid Hydrogen Leak Issues

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

NASA Delays Artemis II Mission to March 2026 Amid Hydrogen Leak Issues

NASA has announced a significant delay for its upcoming Artemis II lunar mission, pushing the planned crewed flight to no earlier than March 2026. The decision stems from persistent technical difficulties encountered during a critical Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Recurring leaks of liquid hydrogen, a notoriously challenging propellant to handle, forced mission managers to scrub the test before its planned completion, necessitating a revised schedule.

The Artemis II mission, intended to carry four astronauts on a trajectory around the Moon and back, is a vital precursor to future lunar landings under the Artemis program. The WDR is designed to simulate the full launch countdown sequence, including loading propellants and performing checks, but without actually lifting off. Successfully completing this test is a key milestone before NASA can certify the hardware for a crewed flight.

During the recent WDR attempt, engineers faced significant issues related to the management of cryogenic liquid hydrogen. A primary problem involved a leak in an interface responsible for routing the super-cold propellant into the rocket's core stage. The team attempted to resolve the leak by warming the interface, hoping to reseat the seals. While this approach allowed the tanks to be filled and the countdown to proceed, it was ultimately halted again at the T-5 minute mark.

The second abort was triggered by an automatic safety system detecting a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate. This recurring issue highlights the inherent complexities of working with liquid hydrogen at its extremely low boiling point of -253 degrees Celsius (-423 degrees Fahrenheit). The volatile nature of hydrogen makes even small leaks a significant safety concern and a potential threat to mission success.

Beyond the hydrogen leaks, the Artemis II WDR also encountered other setbacks. These included the need to retorque a valve associated with the hatch of the Orion crew module, a task requiring precise adjustment to ensure a proper seal. Additionally, intermittent communication dropouts plagued the test, an issue that had been a persistent concern in the weeks leading up to the WDR, raising questions about the robustness of the mission's communication systems.

The challenges faced echo issues seen during the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which also experienced difficulties with hydrogen leaks during its integrated tests. While NASA has made strides in refining its procedures and hardware, the recurrence of such problems underscores the formidable engineering hurdles in developing and operating super heavy-lift launch vehicles like the SLS.

NASA has not yet confirmed whether the SLS rocket will need to be rolled back from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repairs or if the identified issues can be addressed in situ. However, the failure to complete the WDR, particularly the propellant loading and hold-down release portions, makes a launch in the earlier part of 2025 highly improbable. The agency confirmed that the Artemis II crew, which had entered quarantine in preparation for the originally scheduled launch window, would be released following the delay announcement.

The purpose of the WDR is to meticulously rehearse every step of the launch sequence. Reaching the T-5 minute, 15-second mark, where the test was aborted, represented a significant achievement but also a frustratingly close miss to completing the full dress rehearsal. This sentiment was echoed by an unnamed chemical engineer, who commented to The Register that "Repeating errors is generally frowned upon." He added, with a touch of irony, "But then again, handling [liquid hydrogen] is hardly (ahem) rocket science." The engineer further critiqued the apparent lack of progress since the Artemis I post-launch review, suggesting a need for more fundamental improvements in managing hydrogen systems.

The delay to March 2026 creates an interesting potential overlap in the launch schedules of major space players. It opens the possibility that Artemis II's launch could occur concurrently with SpaceX's next Starship test flight. NASA's Artemis program has achieved one successful SLS launch to date, with Artemis I proving the system's capability for a lunar mission. In contrast, SpaceX's rapid iteration approach with Starship has yielded more frequent test flights, albeit with a higher rate of partial or complete failures.

The extended timeline will allow NASA engineers to thoroughly investigate the root causes of the hydrogen leaks and other anomalies, implement corrective actions, and re-validate the systems. This meticulous approach, while leading to delays, is crucial for ensuring the safety of the Artemis II crew and the ultimate success of the mission to return humans to the lunar surface.

Ekhbary News Agency