The goal of returning to the lunar surface was announced by President Donald Trump in his first term. Now, NASA’s Artemis II rocket is back at the launch pad for the second time, following a delay due to a problem with its helium system.
The rocket initially made its journey to the launch pad on January 17. However, an issue with helium flow prompted engineers to roll the Artemis II stack back into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for further investigation. “NASA detected an issue with helium flow and decided to roll the Artemis 2 stack back into the vehicle assembly building to investigate the problem,” officials stated.
Engineers have since fixed the helium issue, and the Artemis II launch could take place as early as April 1. The launch window opens on that date, and the mission is expected to last about 10 days, involving three US astronauts and one Canadian.
The Artemis 2 astronaut crew has entered quarantine in Houston as they prepare for liftoff. The Artemis 2 stack weighs an impressive 5,000 tonnes, and it took a maximum of 12 hours to maneuver the stack four miles from the assembly building to launch pad 39B.
As the countdown begins, NASA remains optimistic. “The agency is now hopeful that the first crewed flyby in more than half a century will get off the ground in early April,” a spokesperson noted.
Engineers will spend several days checking that the repairs carried out in the VAB have worked as intended. Details remain unconfirmed.