After fueling test, optimism grows for March launch of Artemis II to the Moon

Source: Ars Technica

Fueling Test Overview

A second fueling test on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket concluded Thursday night, giving senior managers enough confidence to move forward with plans to launch four astronauts around the Moon as soon as March 6.

Unlike the first attempt to load propellants into the SLS on February 2, there were no major leaks during Thursday’s practice countdown at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians had swapped seals at the launch pad after hydrogen gas leaked from the rocket’s main fueling line earlier in the month, and this time the seals held.

“For the most part, those fixes all performed pretty well yesterday,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s exploration programs. “We were able to fully fuel the SLS rocket within the planned timeline.”

The results keep the Artemis II mission on track for liftoff as early as next month. NASA had given up on a series of February launch opportunities after encountering a persistent hydrogen leak during the first Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR).

“We’re now targeting March 6 as our earliest launch attempt,” Glaze added. “I am going to caveat that. I want to be open, transparent with all of you that there is still pending work. There’s work, a lot of forward work, that remains.”

Launch Timeline

If teams complete the remaining work, liftoff of Artemis II could occur within a two‑hour window opening at 8:29 pm EST on March 6 (01:29 UTC on March 7). NASA also has launch dates available on March 7, 8, 9, and 11, though the mission may have to wait until April. Approximately five days per month are viable launch windows, based on the Moon’s orbital position, the flight’s trajectory, and thermal and lighting constraints.

Mission Details

Artemis II will last between nine and ten days, taking NASA’s Orion spacecraft with:

• Commander: Reid Wiseman
• Pilot: Victor Glover
• Mission Specialists: Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen

The crew will travel around the far side of the Moon before returning to Earth for splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. They will set the record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth and become the first people to fly to the vicinity of the Moon since 1972.