NASA Delays Artemis II After Hydrogen Leak During Wet Dress Rehearsal
NASA halted a Feb. 2 wet dress rehearsal after hydrogen leaks at the SLS tail service mast umbilical and now targets March 2026 for Artemis II.
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Overview
On Feb. 2, 2026, NASA halted a wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II after engineers found hydrogen leaks at the SLS tail service mast umbilical, ending the countdown at T‑5:15, agency officials said.
The rehearsal sought to load 700,000-plus gallons of cryogenic propellant into the 322-foot SLS core stage to qualify a Feb. 8 launch window and validate Artemis II crew systems, NASA said.
NASA said teams will fully review data from the test, mitigate each issue and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal before setting an official launch date, agency officials said.
NASA identified March 6, 2026 at 8:29 p.m. EST as the earliest March opportunity and said remaining February launch windows were forfeited after the test, agency records show.
Officials said teams may roll the SLS back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and that the four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — will re-enter quarantine about two weeks before the next targeted launch.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally, prioritizing factual chronology, technical detail, and official NASA statements. Editorial wording is restrained; colorful phrases (e.g., “exasperating fuel leaks,” “mysterious far side”) act as contextual descriptors rather than persuasive framing, and quoted material is clearly labeled as source content.
FAQ
NASA halted the rehearsal after discovering hydrogen leaks at the SLS tail service mast umbilical, ending the countdown at T-5:15.
NASA now targets March 6, 2026, at 8:29 p.m. EST as the earliest opportunity, with February windows forfeited.
The crew consists of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
It is a prelaunch test where the rocket is loaded with over 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant to qualify systems and validate procedures for launch.
Teams will review data, mitigate issues, conduct a second wet dress rehearsal, and possibly roll the SLS back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs; astronauts will re-enter quarantine two weeks before the next launch.
