NASA on Wednesday began rolling the Artemis II rockets and spacecraft away from the launch pad and back to its Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Following a successful dress rehearsal last week, engineers found interrupted helium flow in the rocket's interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS), which provides propulsion for the Orion spacecraft while it's in space. The ICPS uses helium to maintain proper conditions for the rocket and pressurize fuel.
By undertaking the trek to the Vehicle Assembly Building, NASA has effectively pushed back Artemis II's launch until April at the earliest. The mission to send four astronauts around the moon and back to Earth initially targeted launch dates in February and March.
"I understand people are disappointed by this development," NASA administrator Jared Isaacaman said on Saturday. "That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor."
RELATED: NASA is sending Artemis II to the moon. Here's what to know
The process of rolling back Artemis II to the Vehicle Assembly building will take up to 12 hours, NASA says. It's a 4-mile journey, and the vehicle will be moving at an average speed of less than 1 mile per hour.
While Artemis II is in the assembly building, NASA will replace batteries in the rocket and in the flight termination system.
Isaacman had indicated Saturday that NASA would hold a "more extensive briefing later this week as we outline the path forward, not just for Artemis II, but for subsequent missions."
Copyright 2026 Houston Public Media News 88.7