Artemis II

[Hans Blaster]

[So it's come to this: I'm making a thread]

No one has made a thread about it, but the second NASA "Artemis program" mission to the Moon has snuck up on us.

Soon, humans will orbit the Moon again on the Artemis II mission. Launch is planned for one month from now, but tonight there is a "wet rehearsal". The fully stacked rocket is on the pad tonight and filled with fuel. (No astronauts.) A full countdown rehearsal will take place. Currently it is paused at T-10 min at a planned pause before the rehearsal practices the final countdown.

A live video of the test is here:

with this cool image:

 

[Bradskii]

The wet rehearsal found a fuel leak somewhere hence the delay of a month. It could have taken off next week. Bummer for the astronauts as they'd already been in quarantine for nearly 2 weeks.

Nasa delays moon rocket launch by a month after fuel leaks during test

Artemis II mission was due to begin as early as next week and astronauts have spent almost two weeks in quarantine

www.theguardian.com

I swear I'm going to report the first flat earther who posts here...

 

[Hans Blaster]

The wet rehearsal found a fuel leak somewhere hence the delay of a month. It could have taken off next week. Bummer for the astronauts as they'd already been in quarantine for nearly 2 weeks.

Oops! Somehow I missed that it was live *yesterday*. I'm going to blame a relativistic time lag.

I thought I had read on the weekend that the flight might be next week, and I guess the first launch window was open.

 

[Bradskii]

...and I guess the first launch window was open.

Maybe they have to wait for the next full moon so it's easier to see...

 

[chevyontheriver]

[So it's come to this: I'm making a thread]

No one has made a thread about it, but the second NASA "Artemis program" mission to the Moon has snuck up on us.

Soon, humans will orbit the Moon again on the Artemis II mission. Launch is planned for one month from now, but tonight there is a "wet rehearsal". The fully stacked rocket is on the pad tonight and filled with fuel. (No astronauts.) A full countdown rehearsal will take place. Currently it is paused at T-10 min at a planned pause before the rehearsal practices the final countdown.

A live video of the test is here:

with this cool image:

View attachment 376155

Michie actually beat you by several hours.

Wondering if they will see any Chinese based on the far side. Or aliens.

 

[Matt5]

Something about using Space Shuttle technology is slowing things down. Ya gotta just love Congress.

Grok AI:
The current hydrogen leak on the Artemis 2 SLS rocket (detected during the recent wet dress rehearsal fueling test in early February 2026) is very similar to a recurring issue from the Artemis 1 campaign in 2022, and it's not entirely new—liquid hydrogen leaks have been a persistent challenge for the SLS program, though NASA emphasizes they're working procedures to manage them rather than viewing it as an unfixable flaw.

The leaks occur at the same location: the tail service mast umbilical (also called the quick-disconnect interface or umbilical plate) at the base of the core stage, where the launch pad's hydrogen fuel line connects to the rocket. This is where cryogenic liquid hydrogen flows into the core stage during fueling.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Michie actually beat you by several hours.

Where?

Wondering if they will see any Chinese based on the far side. Or aliens.

They won't. Keep it to actual reality please.