NASA moves Artemis 2 launch to March after hydrogen leak during testing

NASA was preparing for the Artemis 2 mission, initially targeting a February 6th launch. A wet dress rehearsal on February 3rd revealed several issues, delaying the launch timeline. The Space Launch System experienced a liquid hydrogen leak during the rehearsal, requiring extensive troubleshooting. Although the tanks were filled, the countdown stopped due to a leak rate spike near the end. Cold weather affected equipment, and the Orion crew module's hatch pressurization took too long. Audio communication issues plagued the ground teams during the rehearsal. NASA is proactively addressing these problems identified during the test. The agency will conduct another test to fully resolve these issues before the launch. The delay allows engineers to review data and ensure everything works correctly.. The new launch window is now expected to open in March. NASA aims for the highest probability of success by resolving all problems ahead of launch.