Nasa may roll back Artemis II rocket launch after helium flow discovery

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Guardian staff and agenciesFebruary 21, 2026 at 07:53 PM

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NASA is considering rolling back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center due to an interrupted helium flow discovered in the Space Launch System rocket's interim cryogenic propulsion stage, a crucial component for launch. This issue will likely impact the targeted March launch window for the mission, which aims to send four astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – on a 10-day trip around the moon without landing. The Artemis II mission is designed to test systems for future deep-space exploration, pushing humans further into space than ever before, in preparation for the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2028, which will be the first human landing on the moon since 1972. NASA had previously targeted March 6 for the launch after completing a fueling test, but the helium flow problem has introduced uncertainty.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Orion 30% United States 40% Apollo 13 50% Victor Glover 60% Jeremy Hansen 60% Christina Koch 60% Florida 60% Reid Wiseman 60% Artemis III 70% Kennedy Space Center 70% Artemis II ×690% National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) ×9100%

Keywords

artemis ii 100% nasa 80% rocket launch 80% helium flow 70% moon mission 60% space launch system 60% launch delay 50% kennedy space center 40% deep-space exploration 40%