The launch, originally scheduled for March 2026, has been postponed due to identified technical issues with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is intended to place Orion into low Earth orbit.
On February 21, during the night, NASA engineers discovered irregularities in the helium supply to the rocket's interim cryogenic stage, which forced them to conduct additional equipment checks. As a result, it was decided to return the rocket to the assembly shop to fix the identified malfunctions.
According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the technical difficulties encountered will affect the launch window in March, but the exact date of the new launch has not yet been established.
The Artemis 2 mission is set to be the first crewed flyby of the Moon as part of the new U.S. program to explore Earth's satellite.
