NASA efficiently completes second launch rehearsal of rocket, clearing path for March launch to the Moon

NASA efficiently completes second launch rehearsal of rocket, clearing path for March launch to the Moon

Nicole Mortillaro | CBC News | Posted: February 20, 2026 4:00 AM | Last Updated: 6 hours in the past

The area company has been tormented by hydrogen leaks up to now

NASA is able to go to the moon. 

The area company performed a profitable rehearsal of launch occasions for the upcoming Artemis II moon mission that can embody Canadian Space Agency Jeremy Hansen and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover. 

The rehearsal reached its aim of counting down to simply previous T-minus 30 seconds twice, that means the rocket would have launched in lower than a minute on launch day.

There have been points up to now with the rocket rehearsal, notably in terms of gas leaks.

The first try at an Artemis II moist costume rehearsal — an nearly three-day-long run-through of launch procedures that features a countdown in addition to loading the rocket with gas — started on Jan. 31 and ended on Feb. 3, however bumped into a well-known drawback: a hydrogen leak throughout fuelling.

An analogous problem arose with the Artemis I mission.

While Thursday’s rehearsal had some hiccups, particularly a difficulty with floor communication, NASA appeared to clear the one hurdle that has held them again: loading the core stage of the rocket with hydrogen.

Both the core stage of the rocket — the huge orange tank — and the second stage of the rocket are loaded with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The course of is staggered, beginning with a gradual fill adopted by a quick fill.

In previous makes an attempt, a hydrogen leak above the appropriate threshold was detected, pausing the tanking course of. Eventually, it needed to be stopped altogether.

Hydrogen is liable to leaking as a result of it is the smallest molecule within the universe. But it is also a particularly environment friendly rocket propellant.

During Thursday’s moist costume rehearsal, it appeared that there was no leak that surpassed that threshold.

The second stage additionally skilled no points.

The subsequent Artemis II launch alternative is in early March.

A historical past of points

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will launch the astronauts. But this system confronted quite a few growth delays, pushing again the primary launch of an uncrewed Orion capsule across the moon — Artemis I — by years.

But then, as soon as the rocket was prepared, it confronted further challenges.

Artemis I rolled out to the launch pad in March 2022 for an try at a moist costume, however the first makes an attempt have been delayed for a number of months due to quite a few points, together with nitrogen tank considerations.

When it got here time for the precise Artemis I launch that August, the hydrogen leaks plagued the area company, together with some lag with floor communications.

There will probably be a NASA press convention tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET to debate findings of the moist costume rehearsal.