With safety checks taking priority, preparations are underway to move a key Moon mission back for inspection after engineers flagged a technical concern.
NASA said it plans to roll back the Artemis II Moon rocket and spacecraft from the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center as early as Tuesday, February 24, subject to weather conditions. The decision follows the detection of an issue linked to helium flow to the rocket’s upper stage.
The rollback will allow teams to return the fully stacked Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule to the Vehicle Assembly Building for detailed checks and repairs. Helium is a critical element in the upper stage, as it supports pressurization and propellant management systems.
On February 21, mission managers chose to remove recently installed platforms after weather forecasts warned of high winds along Florida’s Space Coast. This step allowed teams to begin rollback preparations while technical discussions around the issue continued.
The move back to the Vehicle Assembly Building covers about 4 miles and takes several hours using NASA’s crawler-transporter. According to the agency, starting early could help protect the April launch window, depending on inspection results and how long repairs take.
NASA also confirmed that the Artemis II crew members were released from quarantine on February 21 and remain in Houston. The agency said it will host a media briefing in the coming days to share more details on the rollback process and the next steps for the Artemis II test flight.
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