NASA Delays March Launch of Moon Rocket After Fuel Leak Issues

Space agency will conduct second wet dress rehearsal before next attempt

Published on Feb. 3, 2026

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NASA announced on Tuesday that it will now target a March launch of its new moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), after encountering frustrating fuel leaks during a critical test run the previous day. The space agency said the delay will allow teams to fully review the data and conduct a second wet dress rehearsal before the flight test.

Why it matters

The SLS rocket is a critical component of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustained human presence on the moon. The fuel leak issues, reminiscent of problems that plagued the rocket's debut three years ago, have raised questions about when astronauts can finally take off for the moon aboard this new spacecraft.

The details

During the daylong fueling operation on Monday, excessive hydrogen quickly built up near the bottom of the 322-foot (98-meter) rocket, forcing launch controllers to halt hydrogen loading at least twice as they worked to resolve the problem. NASA also noted delays in close-out operations and recurring audio dropout issues for ground crew communications during the test.

  • The countdown clocks began ticking on Saturday night, giving launch controllers the chance to go through all the motions and deal with any lingering rocket problems.
  • The clocks were set to stop a half-minute before reaching zero, just before engine ignition.

The players

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, one of the four astronauts assigned to the flight around the moon.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This delay in the Artemis II launch highlights the technical challenges NASA continues to face with the SLS rocket, and the importance of thoroughly testing the systems before sending astronauts on a mission around the moon, which will set the stage for future lunar landings under the Artemis program.