It is planned that Artemis II will send people around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Photograph: Sam Lott/Nasa via APNasa is preparing to remove its massive moon rocket from its launchpad to fix a technical issue, delaying the agency’s much-anticipated mission to send a crew of four around the moon. Nasa engineers found an interruption in the flow of helium – which is needed for launch – in the rocket. He also noted that a similar helium issue had cropped up on the SLS’s first flight back in 2022. Isaacman said the launch will not take place in March now, with April being the earliest next launch opportunity.

Source: The Irish Times February 21, 2026 23:33 UTC