Artemis rocket heads back to its hangar for repairs as moonshot put on hold
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- NASA is rolling back its 322-foot Space Launch System rocket to the hangar for repairs due to a helium flow blockage in the booster’s upper stage, delaying the Artemis II mission by at least a month.
- The rollback, beginning Wednesday morning, involves a slow 4-mile journey on a crawler-transporter and is expected to take up to 12 hours to reach the Vehicle Assembly Building.
- Repairs will include addressing the helium issue and replacing batteries in the rocket’s upper stage and flight termination system, with a potential new launch window in April depending on repair outcomes.
- The Artemis II mission, originally targeted for March 6, will carry four astronauts on a 10-day flight around the moon, marking the first crewed
