NASA delays March Moon launch after helium flow issue, orders rocket rollback

• Photo courtesy of NASA

NASA will roll back the Artemis II vehicle to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center following an interruption in helium flow within the Space Launch System (SLS) interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS), effectively removing the March launch window from consideration.

In a public update posted on X, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman detailed the technical issue and the steps ahead.

“The ICPS helium bottles are used to purge the engines, as well as for LH2 and LOX tank pressurization. The systems did work correctly during WDR1 and WDR2,” Isaacman wrote.

He said the anomaly occurred during routine operations.

“Last evening, the team was unable to get helium flow through the vehicle. This occurred during a routine operation to repressurize the system,” Isaacman said.

According to Isaacman, engineers observed a similar failure pattern during the uncrewed Artemis I mission.

“We observed a similar failure signature on Artemis I,” he added.

He also assured that the rocket remains stable under current ground support conditions.

“The Artemis II vehicle is in a safe configuration, using ground ECS purge for the engines versus the onboard helium supply,” Isaacman said.

NASA is now assessing multiple potential fault points, including hardware at the ground-to-vehicle interface and onboard components.

“Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems less likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed. It could also be a failed check valve onboard the vehicle, which would be consistent with Artemis I, though corrective actions were taken to minimize reoccurrence on Artemis II,” Isaacman wrote.

He emphasized that repairs or deeper inspection can only be performed inside the VAB.

“Regardless of the potential fault, accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB,” Isaacman said.

The rollback decision directly affects the launch timeline.

“As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration,” he added.

Isaacman also acknowledged public disappointment over the delay, noting that setbacks have historically been part of major space programs.

“I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor,” Isaacman said, citing the early termination of Neil Armstrong’s Gemini 8 mission before his eventual Apollo 11 Moon landing.

He framed Artemis as a long-term effort rather than a single milestone.

“I will say again, the President created Artemis as a program that will far surpass what America achieved during Apollo. We will return in the years ahead, we will build a Moon base, and undertake what should be continuous missions to and from the lunar environment,” Isaacman wrote.

NASA is expected to hold a more detailed briefing to outline next steps for Artemis II and future missions.

“Please expect a more extensive briefing later this week as we outline the path forward, not just for Artemis II, but for subsequent missions, to ensure NASA meets the President’s vision to return to the Moon and, this time, to stay,” Isaacman said.

Artemis II is planned as NASA’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program, intended to send astronauts around the Moon as a precursor to future lunar landings.