New Delhi: NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the Moon in decades, is staring at a fresh schedule slip. NASA says it plans to roll the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft off Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center to fix a helium supply issue, a move that “will almost assuredly impact the March launch window,” as NASA chief Jared Isaacman wrote on X.
For space fans, this one hurts in a familiar way. You watch the countdown story build for weeks, then a small-sounding system like helium flow shows up and flips the calendar. I have seen this pattern with big rockets. The “tiny” stuff rarely stays tiny.
After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window. @NASA will…
— NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (@NASAAdmin) February 21, 2026
What went wrong at the pad
NASA said engineers found a blockage in the flow of helium into the rocket’s upper stage. Proper helium flow is needed to pressurise propellant tanks and keep the engine environment in spec, NASA noted. The issue was not seen during the wet dress rehearsal, which had a successful fueling of both stages.
NASA wrote that, weather permitting, it could start rolling the stack off the pad as soon as Tuesday, Feb. 24.
March window takes the hit, April dates enter the chat
NASA’s March launch window was short. It ran from March 6 to March 9, with another chance on March 11. NASA officials said a rollback would mean the mission will not launch in that March window.
The next set of target dates NASA listed sits in April, including April 1, April 3 to 6, and April 30. NASA also said the early prep work for rollback could help preserve an April attempt, depending on repairs and schedule realities.
Why this mission is a big deal
Artemis II is set to carry three NASA astronauts and one Canadian on a roughly 10-day trip around the Moon and back in the Orion capsule. NASA describes it as the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo.
A few other details from NASA’s recent updates:
- The SLS rocket stands about 322 feet, around 98 metres tall
- NASA had to end the first wet dress rehearsal early after a liquid hydrogen leak, but later completed a full fueling test
- Isaacman said NASA had seen the helium blockage and warned the schedule would slide
What to watch next
The next news hook is simple. How fast can NASA fix the helium flow issue once the rocket is back inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, and can the team still line up for an April launch window.