Zitat Ground teams at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida are working toward a simulated liftoff this evening at 8:30 p.m. EST (0130 GMT on Feb. 20), with a window that extends as late as 12:30 a.m. EST (0530 GMT) on Friday (Feb. 20). Between then and now, NASA will have to successfully load SLS with about 730,000 gallons (2.73 million liters) of LH2 and liquid oxygen (LOX). Such work is designed to demonstrate the rocket's readiness for an actual liftoff with a crew of astronauts on a mission around the moon, which, if everything goes smoothly, could launch as soon as March 6.
A "go/no-go" poll to begin tanking is expected today at around 9:50 a.m. EST (1450 GMT), with the core stage's LH2 "slow fill" beginning about an hour later. Fueling operations, including vehicle stage cool-downs, are scheduled to last from 9:50 a.m. EST (1450 GMT) until 3:30 p.m. EST (2030 GMT), when a planned countdown hold will be implemented as the LH2 and LOX lines enter a replenishing phase.
Zitat 2:14 PM The fueling test countdown is in full swing for today's wet dress rehearsal for NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket. Read our preview of today's critical test here from our own Josh Dinner:
NASA hopes to avoid more hydrogen leaks during 2nd Artemis 2 rocket fueling test today: Watch live
As of 7 a.m. EST (1200 GMT) today, ground control teams worked to configure the Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket with gaseous nitrogen needed to protect against fire hazards at the pad. "Technicians are replacing the ambient air with gaseous nitrogen, which is an inert gas that does not support combustion," NASA wrote in an update. "By replacing air – which contains highly-combustible oxygen – with nitrogen, engineers can remove the oxidizer needed to sustain fire and dramatically reduce flammability risks in a launch environment filled with high-energy systems and propellants." Today's fueling test will attempt to fill the 322-foot SLS Artemis 2 rocket with more than 700,000 pounds of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen it will need to launch 4 astronauts around the moon in early March. This is the second such fueling test.
A similar test on Feb. 2-3 revealed hydrogen leaks and other issues that prevented NASA from reaching a planned "simulated launch" time. Today's test is targeting a simulated launch time of 8:30 p.m. EST (0130 FEb. 20 GMT).
5:20 PM Fueling underway for Artemis 2 rocket, comms glitch
NASA began fueling the Artemis 2 moon rocket with its liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen fuel at about 10:30 am. EST (1530 GMT) today, but has hit a technical glitch that is affecting the wet dress rehearsal. By 10:43 a.m. EST (1543 GMT), the SLS team moved from a slow fueling process to a "fast-fill" approach for both the liquid oxygen and the liquid hydrogen fuel on the core stage of the Artemis 2 rocket. But by 11:11 a.m. EST (1611 GMT) launch controllers in the firing room at the Kennedy Space Center encountered a ground communications issue, forcing them to move to a backup system. That shift has prompted NASA's SLS team to continue the liquid oxygen fast fill procedure, but pause moving into liquid hydrogen while troubleshooting is underway.
5:48 PM Artemis 2 team troubleshoots glitch during fueling
The Artemis 2 stack on the pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during its second wet dress rehearsal on Feb. 19, 2026. A communications glitch has arisen during the fueling of NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket. Mission team members at Kennedy Space Center "have moved to backup communication methods to maintain safe audio command and control," agency officials wrote in an update today (Feb. 19) at 11:11 a.m. EST (1611 GMT). The mission team continues to load liquid oxygen propellant into Artemis 2's Space Launch System rocket in "fast fill" mode but has delayed the initiation of liquid hydrogen fast fill while working the comms issue.
6:05 PM NASA restores full coms with Artemis 2 moon rocket
After just over a half-hour of troubleshooting, it looks like full communications has been restored between NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket and launch controllers in the firing room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Normal communications have been restored, and NASA teams have made the decision to transition to fast fill of the SLS rocket’s core stage with super-cold liquid hydrogen," NASA wrote in an update at 11:45 am ET (1645 GMT). "Core stage liquid oxygen remains in fast fill." During this core stage fueling, NASA is also watching for any leaks in the four RS-25 rocket engines. Once the fueling is complete, NASA will move on to the upper stage, called the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage.
6:53 PM Fueling underway for Artemis 2 upper stage
NASA is now fueling the upper stage of its massive Artemis 2 rocket atop Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. Liquid hydrogen propellant is flowing into the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. Meanwhile, chilldown operations are in work for the liquid hydrogen system on the stage. "This critical step cools the hardware ahead of loading super-cold liquid oxygen, chilled to minus 297 degrees Fahrenheit, into the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s upper stage tank," NASA wrote in an update at 12:43 p.m. EST (1743 GMT).
Zitat The Launch Pad 🚨 Artemis II WDR - Core Stage LH2 Reaches 100% Without Issue! NASA teams have now transitioned the SLS core stage liquid hydrogen (LH₂) tank into replenish mode, marking a major milestone for today’s wet dress rehearsal. This step was achieved without exceeding ground safety limits for hydrogen concentrations, an issue encountered during the first Artemis II rehearsal — a strong indicator the fueling system improvements are working. After fast fill and topping, replenish keeps the tank at flight-ready levels by replacing propellant naturally lost to boil-off. Liquid hydrogen slowly warms and evaporates even in insulated tanks, so small amounts of fuel are continuously added to maintain proper pressure and volume.
NASA just notched another major milestone in its Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal (WDR): Teams have brought all of the cryogenic propellant tanks in the mission's Space Launch System rocket to "replenish" mode, keeping them full and topped off. "With all stages in replenish, the Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal is now in its final fueling configuration, bringing this test wet dress rehearsal operations closer to terminal count," NASA officials wrote in an update today (Feb. 19). The WDR — a two-day-long practice run of prelaunch procedures — appears to remain on target to hit a simulated launch window opening at 8:50 p.m. EST today (0150 GMT on Feb. 20). If things continue to go well today, an actual launch could occur as soon as March 6.
9:42 PM Artemis 2 rocket planned 1-hour hold in fueling test
NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket team has officially begun a planned 1-hour, 10-minute hold for today's ongoing fueling test of the Space Launch System megarocket. "NASA’s pad rescue and closeout crew teams are moving to their staging area before heading to Launch Complex 39B," NASA said in an update at 3:32 p.m. EST (2032 GMT). These teams ensure safety and readiness during the critical fueling operations and play a vital role in protecting personnel and hardware throughout the countdown."
10:43 PM Artemis 2 rocket close out crew heads to pad
The Artemis 2 close out crew, a team of engineers who work to close out the rocket and its Orion crew before launch, is now headed to Launch Pad 39B for today's test, NASA reports. "This specialized team is responsible for securing the Orion spacecraft and ensuring all access points are properly configured before simulated crew ingress operations," the agency wrote in an update at 3:55 p.m. ET (2055 GMT). The close out crew is destined for the so-called White Room, an environmentally controlled room on the gantry where the close out team prepares astronauts to enter the Orion spacecraft for launch. "During the wet dress rehearsal, the closeout crew will close the spacecrafts’ hatches, verify hatch seals, check environmental conditions, and confirm all systems are ready for the next steps in the countdown," NASA wrote. As part of today's test, the "pad rescue team," emergency personnel trained to respond to emergencies to assist the Artemis 2 crew, will also be on site to assist in any crew team evacuation.
Zitat Moon mission fueling test concludes with no major problems
NASA and contractor engineers pumped more than 750,000 gallons of supercold propellants into the agency’s huge Space Launch System rocket Thursday without any signs of hydrogen leaks or any other significant problems in a major step toward launching four astronauts on a flight around the moon as early as March 6.
The practice countdown began Tuesday night, kicking off a carefully choreographed series of steps to ready the world’s most powerful operational rocket for what amounted to a simulated launch Thursday at 8:42 p.m. EST. Controllers then carried out additional tests to make sure the team can recycle, hold and restart an actual launch countdown as needed to handle unexpected problems.
The initial stages of the rehearsal countdown went well and at 9:35 a.m. Thursday, Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson gave her “go” to begin the multi-hour process of pumping 196,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and 537,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen fuel into the SLS rocket’s first stage. The second stage was loaded with another 22,500 gallons of oxygen and hydrogen propellants.
Unlike the rocket’s first fueling test earlier this month, when hydrogen leaks forced the team to call off the countdown, sensors detected no significant leaks the second time around and the rocket’s tanks were topped off without incident.
Die NASA hat sich zwar noch nicht geäußert, aber ich nehme an, das bedeutet eine Freigabe für den Startversuch während der kommenden drei Startfenster, vom 6. (für uns am 7., ab 02:29) bis zum 11. März 2026.
"Les hommes seront toujours fous; et ceux qui croient les guérir sont les plus fous de la bande." - Voltaire
Zitat The Launch Pad 🚨BREAKING! NASA TARGETS MARCH 6th FOR ARTEMIS II LAUNCH! NASA has confirmed they are targeting March 6th, 2026 for the launch of Artemis II following yesterdays successful Wet Dress Rehearsal 🕘Launch T-0: March 6, 2026 at 8:29pm EST 📅Launch Window: 8:29PM - 10:29PM EST 🔁Additional opportunities through March and April We are getting closer to humanity’s return to deep space and this time we are going back together!
Zitat 20 February 2026, 16:51 GMT - Updated 52 minutes ago
Nasa has announced that the earliest possible date for the Artemis II launch will now be 6 March - which will be 7 March in the UK. The mission will see four astronauts take part in a 10-day fly around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth again. It comes after a successful dress rehearsal - known as a wet rehearsal - for the rocket launch, took place on Thursday. It was the Artemis team's second attempt at a practice run, after a hydrogen leak was detected at the launch pad earlier this month.
Zitat NASA could launch four astronauts on a mission to fly around the moon as soon as March 6th. That's the launch date that the space agency is now working towards following a successful test fueling of its big, 322-foot-tall moon rocket, which is standing on a launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "This is really getting real," says Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator of NASA's exploration systems development mission directorate. "It's time to get serious and start getting excited." But she cautioned that there's still some pending work that remains to be done out at the launch pad, and officials will have to conduct a multi-day flight readiness review late next week to make sure that every aspect of the mission is truly ready to go.
Zitat The second time is the charm, apparently. NASA successfully completed a major test of its upcoming moon mission, Artemis II, on Thursday. On Friday Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said that, with the test done, the agency is now targeting a March 6 launch date for Artemis II.
At a press conference on Friday, NASA’s Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said the agency is confident it has fixed the leaks and that none arose during Thursday’s fueling and mock launch countdown.
Zitat NASA preparing for Artemis 2 rollback to fix upper stage problem, by Jeff Foust February 21, 2026
Just 24 hours after setting a March 6 launch date for the Artemis 2 mission, NASA announced Feb. 21 that a problem with the Space Launch System upper stage will delay the launch.
In a brief statement, NASA said it was preparing to roll the SLS back from Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center to the Vehicle Assembly Building after engineers found that helium flow in the rocket’s upper stage had been interrupted.
Helium is used to pressurize tanks in the stage, formally known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage. NASA had not reported any issues with helium flow or tank pressurization during a second wet dress rehearsal that concluded late Feb. 19.
NASA initially said it had not yet made a final decision to roll the vehicle back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, and was studying options to fix the problem at the pad as well as inside the VAB. However, in a social media post, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called a rollback “likely.”
In a subsequent post, Isaacman said that while several potential causes for the problem, also seen during Artemis 1, were being considered, NASA would proceed with a rollback. “Regardless of the potential fault, accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB,” he stated.
While studying repair options, workers began preparing for a potential rollback. That includes disassembling temporary work platforms that had just been installed at the launch pad for tasks such as retesting the rocket’s flight termination system. That work could not wait until Feb. 22, the agency said, because of high winds forecast that day.
The announcement came a day after agency officials said at a briefing that they were working toward launching Artemis 2 as soon as March 6, the first day of the next launch period for the mission. That opportunity runs through March 11.
The upper stage problem and possible rollback “will almost assuredly impact the March launch window,” NASA said.
Isaacman stated that the rollback “will take the March launch window out of consideration.” ... If NASA is unable to launch Artemis 2 in March, the next launch window runs from April 1 to 6. Another window opens April 30, although NASA has not disclosed additional launch opportunities beyond the end of April.
“I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor,” Isaacman said, but noted there were “many setbacks” during the Apollo program before landing people on the moon in 1969.
Zitat NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman@NASAAdmin After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window. @NASA will continue to provide updates as they become available. 4:30 PM · Feb 21, 2026
Zitat NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman@NASAAdmin As an update to my earlier post.
- The ICPS helium bottles are used to purge the engines, as well as for LH2 and LOX tank pressurization. The systems did work correctly during WDR1 and WDR2.
- Last evening, the team was unable to get helium flow through the vehicle. This occurred during a routine operation to repressurize the system.
- We observed a similar failure signature on Artemis I.
- The Artemis II vehicle is in a safe configuration, using ground ECS purge for the engines versus the onboard helium supply.
- Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed. It could also be a failed check valve onboard the vehicle, which would be consistent with Artemis I, though corrective actions were taken to minimize reoccurrence on Artemis II.
Regardless of the potential fault, accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB.
As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration.
I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor. During the 1960s, when NASA achieved what most thought was impossible, and what has never been repeated since, there were many setbacks. One historic example is that Neil Armstrong spent less than 11 hours in space on Gemini 8 before his mission ended prematurely due to a technical issue. A little over three years later, he became the first man to walk on the Moon.
There are many differences between the 1960s and today, and expectations should rightfully be high after the time and expense invested in this program. I will say again, the President created Artemis as a program that will far surpass what America achieved during Apollo. We will return in the years ahead, we will build a Moon base, and undertake what should be continuous missions to and from the lunar environment. Where we begin with this architecture and flight rate is not where it will end.
Please expect a more extensive briefing later this week as we outline the path forward, not just for Artemis II, but for subsequent missions, to ensure NASA meets the President’s vision to return to the Moon and, this time, to stay. 5:39 PM · Feb 21, 2026
Zitat von Morn im Beitrag "Vorne macht es 'zisch!' und hinten knallt's"Mich lässt der Eindruck nicht los, dass die Mehrzahl aller Probleme, die für Startverzögerungen oder Abbrüchen verantwortlich sind, irgendwie mit Ventilen zusammenhängen...
Zitat The helium system on the SLS upper stage—officially known as the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS)—performed well during both of the Artemis II countdown rehearsals. “Last evening, the team was unable to get helium flow through the vehicle. This occurred during a routine operation to repressurize the system,” Isaacman wrote.
Helium is used to purge the upper stage engine and pressurize its propellant tanks. The rocket is in a “safe configuration,” with a backup system providing purge air to the upper stage, NASA said in a statement.
NASA encountered a similar failure signature during preparations for launch of the first SLS rocket on the Artemis I mission in 2022. On Artemis I, engineers traced the problem to a failed check valve on the upper stage that needed replacement. NASA officials are not sure yet whether the helium issue Friday was caused by a similar valve failure, a problem with an umbilical interface between the rocket and the launch tower, or a fault with a filter, according to Isaacman.
In any case, technicians are unable to reach the problem area with the rocket at the launch pad. Inside the VAB, ground teams will extend work platforms around the rocket to provide physical access to the upper stage and its associated umbilical connections.
NASA said moving into preparations for rollback now will allow managers to potentially preserve the April launch window, “pending the outcome of data findings, repair efforts, and how the schedule comes to fruition in the coming days and weeks.”
It’s not clear if NASA will perform another fueling test on the SLS rocket after it returns to Launch Pad 39B, or whether technicians will do any more work on the delicate hydrogen umbilical near the bottom of the rocket responsible for recurring leaks during the Artemis I and Artemis II launch campaigns. Managers were pleased with the performance of newly-installed seals during Thursday’s countdown demonstration, but NASA officials have previously said vibrations from transporting the rocket to and from the pad could damage the seals.
Zitat SA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration As soon as Tuesday, Feb. 24, we will roll our Moon rocket for Artemis II mission off the launch pad, weather pending. Engineers are continuing to prepare for the move after encountering an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage. Details: https://go.nasa.gov/4tFWCMK
Weather pending, NASA will roll the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II off the launch pad at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as soon as Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Engineers are continuing to prepare for the move after encountering an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage.
On Feb. 21, managers decided to remove recently installed platforms before high winds descend on the Space Coast, which poised teams for rollback while discussions about the issue were ongoing. Returning to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy is required to determine the cause of the issue and fix it.
Teams are reviewing the exact time to begin the approximately 4 mile, multi-hour trek.
The quick work to begin preparations for rolling the rocket and spacecraft back to the VAB potentially preserves the April launch window, pending the outcome of data findings, repair efforts, and how the schedule comes to fruition in the coming days and weeks.
The Artemis II crew members were released from quarantine the evening of Feb. 21 and remain in Houston.
NASA will hold a media event in the coming days to discuss rollback, and plans for the Artemis II test flight.
Zitat Weather pending, NASA will roll the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II off the launch pad at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as soon as Tuesday, Feb. 24. Engineers are continuing to prepare for the move after encountering an issue with the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage.
Zeitleiste Artemis II - 2026: 17. Januar - Rollout vom VAB zur Startrampe 39B 2. Februar - Wet Dress Rehearsal; abgebrochen aufgrund zu großem Wasserstoffaustritts aus der Leitung und einem klemmenden Ventil 12. Februar - "Confidence Test": Probebetankung ohne Druckbetankung. 19. Februar - 2. Wet Dress Rehearsal. 20. Februar - NASA setzt als Starttermin die drei Startfenster zwischen dem 6. und 11 März fest. 21. Februar - NASA meldet, daß beim WDR die Betankung der Oberstufe mit Helium nicht möglich war (das Helium dient dazu, den Treibstoff in der Oberstufe in Richtung Brennkammern zu pressen, da nach der Stufentrennung in 70 km Höhe und vor dem Zünden der Brennkammern Schwerelosigkeit herrscht (das ist das Problem, das beim Starship durch das sog. "hot staging" gelöst worden ist, bei dem die Zündung noch vor der Stufentrennung erfolgt). 22. Februar - NASA gibt den Termin für den Rücktransport ins VAB mit "ab dem 24.2." an.
Zeitleiste Artemis I - 2022: Rollout vom VAB zur Startrampe - 17. März 2022 3. April - Erster WDR (abgebrochen, weil in einer der Sauerstoffzuleitungen im Mobile Launcher kein Betriebsdruck erzeugt werden konnt). 4. 4. - Zweiter WDR aufgrund zu hoher Temperaturen des flüssigen Sauerstoffs und eines verklemmten Druckventils abgebrochen. 14. 4. - 3. WDR; abgebrochen, weil an der Trennungsstelle der Wasserstoffzuleitung ein Leck auftrat. 26. 4. - Rücktransport ins VAB. 6.6. - Zweiter Rollout zur Startrampe. 20.6. - 4. WDR. An derselben Trennstelle an der Wasserstoffzuleitung tritt ein Leck auf. Der Countdown wird automatisch bei t - 29 Sekunden angehalten statt bei den vorgesehenen - 9 Sek. 2.7. - Rücktransport ins VAB. NASA gibt als infrage kommende Startfenster den 29. August und den 5. September an. 23.8. - "flight readiness test" 25´8. Transport zur Startrampe 29. 8. - 1. Startversuch. Abgebrochen aufgrund zu hoher Temperaturen in Brennkammer 3. 3.9. - 2. Startversuch. Abgebrochen wegen eines Wasserstofflecks im Servicearm des Startturms. 26.9. - Rücktransport ins VAB zum Schutz vor Tropensturm Ian. 4.11. - Transport zur Startrampe. 12.11. - Wetterwarnung vor Hurrikan Nicole; 14.11.: Die Flugleitung entschließt sich, die Rakete auf der Startrampe zu belassen (es werden Sturmböen mit 100 km/h erwartet; das SLS ist für Standfestigkeit bis 120 km/h seitlichem Windruck ausgelegt; die steifste Brise lag bei 107 km/h). 15.11. - 21:30 MEZ: Betankung beginnt. 3 Stunden vor Vollbetankung: in der Wasserstoffzuleitung tritt ein Leck auf. 1 Stunde später: die Flugleitung schickt das aus 3 Mann bestehende "Red Team" zur Startrampe, die das Leck durch Nachziehen der Schraubverbindungen schließen. 16.11. - 07:47 MEZ: Start.
"Les hommes seront toujours fous; et ceux qui croient les guérir sont les plus fous de la bande." - Voltaire
Due to weather, NASA now is targeting early Wednesday, Feb. 25, to roll the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II off the launch pad and back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Cold temperatures and high winds are expected Tuesday, and rolling on Feb. 25, gives teams enough time to complete preparations at the launch pad that were limited today by high winds in the area.
The approximately 4-mile trek is expected to take up to 12 hours. Once back in the VAB, teams will immediately begin work to install platforms to access the area of the helium flow issue.
Währenddessen: Start der Starlink-Mission 17-26 von Vandenberg, 15:18 MEZ. Ein paar Zahlen (weil sie schön rund ausfallen): Der 500. Starlink-Satellit, der seit Jahresbeginn gestartet wurde. Der 10. Flug des Boosters B1093. Die 180. Landung auf der Of Course I Still Love You. Und der isg. 6666. (gelungene) Start seit dem Beginn des Raumfahrtzeitalters am 4.10.1957. (Und erst in 20 Tagen springt der Zähler auf "25.000 Tage" - aber irgendwas ist ja immer...)
PS. 16:26. Transporter hat sich in Bewegung gesetzt. Die "250" auf den beiden Feststoffboostern steht natürlich für das diesjährige runde Staatsjubiläum der USA.
"Les hommes seront toujours fous; et ceux qui croient les guérir sont les plus fous de la bande." - Voltaire
Umstrukturierung des Mondlandefahrplans. PK von heute morgen:
Zitat NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced sweeping changes to the Artemis program on Friday morning, including an increased cadence of missions and cancellation of an expensive rocket stage.
The upheaval comes as NASA has struggled to fuel the massive Space Launch System rocket for the upcoming Artemis II lunar mission, and Isaacman has sought to revitalize an agency that has moved at a glacial pace on its deep space programs. There is ever-increasing concern that, absent a shakeup, China’s rising space program will land humans on the Moon before NASA can return there this decade with Artemis.
The announced changes to the Artemis program include:
- Cancellation of the Exploration Upper Stage and Block IB upgrade for SLS rocket - Artemis II and Artemis III missions will use the SLS rocket with existing upper stage - Artemis IV, V (and any additional missions, should there be) will use a “standardized” upper stage - Artemis III will no longer land on the Moon; rather Orion will launch on SLS and dock with Starship and/or Blue Moon landers in low-Earth orbit - Artemis IV is now the first lunar landing mission - NASA will seek to fly Artemis missions annually, starting with Artemis III in “mid” 2027, followed by at least one lunar landing in 2028 - NASA is working with SpaceX and Blue Origin to accelerate their development of commercial lunar landers for Artemis IV and beyond
Zitat At the core of Isaacman’s concerns is the low flight rate of the SLS rocket and Artemis missions. During past exploration missions, from Mercury through Gemini, Apollo, and the Space Shuttle program, NASA has launched humans on average about once every three months. It has been nearly 3.5 years since Artemis I launched.
“This is just not the right pathway forward,” Isaacman said.
A senior NASA official, speaking on background to Ars, noted that the space agency has experienced hydrogen and helium leaks during both the Artemis I and Artemis II pre-launch preparations, and these problems have led to monthslong delays in launch.
“If I recall, the timing between Apollo 7 and 8 was nine weeks,” the official said. “Launching SLS every three and a half years or so is not a recipe for success. Certainly, making each one of them a work of art with some major configuration change is also not helpful in the process, and we’re clearly seeing the results of it, right?”
The goal therefore is to standardize the SLS rocket into a single configuration in order to make the rocket as reliable as possible, and launching as frequently as every 10 months. NASA will fly the SLS vehicle until there are commercial alternatives to launch crew to the Moon, perhaps through Artemis V as Congress has mandated, or perhaps even a little longer.
The biggest opposition to these proposals would seemingly come from Boeing, which is the prime contractor for the Exploration Upper Stage, a contract worth billions of dollars to develop a more powerful rocket that was due to launch for the first time later this decade. However, in a NASA news release, Boeing appeared to offer at least some support for the revised plans.
NASA’s new approach to Artemis reflects a return to the philosophy of the Apollo program. During the late 1960s, the space agency flew a series of preparatory crewed missions before the Apollo 11 lunar landing. These included Apollo 7 (a low-Earth orbit test of the Apollo spacecraft), Apollo 8 (a lunar orbiting mission), Apollo 9 (a low-Earth orbit rendezvous with the lunar lander), and Apollo 10 (a test of the lunar lander descending to the Moon, without touching down).
With its previous Artemis template, NASA skipped the steps taken by Apollo 7, 9, and 10. In the view of many industry officials, this leap from Artemis II—a crewed lunar flyby of the Moon testing only the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft—to Artemis III and a full-on lunar landing was enormous and risky.
PS.
Zitat Kristin Fisher@KristinFisher NASA just announced a MAJOR overhaul of the Artemis program. Here’s what’s changed, according to @NASAAdmin @rookisaacman:
NEW MISSIONS: Artemis 3 is no longer a moon landing 🤯 It's now a crewed test mission in Low Earth Orbit in 2027 - docking with SpaceX's Starship and/or Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander to test systems and new spacesuits BEFORE anyone tries to land on the moon. The actual lunar landing now moves to Artemis 4, targeted for early 2028. Artemis 5 would follow by late 2028. That’s two crewed lunar landing attempts in one year, with NASA targeting at least one surface landing every year after that.
NEW ARCHITECTURE: Block 1B - the planned upgrade to the SLS rocket - is dead. No more custom builds. No second mobile launcher. NASA is standardizing the rocket so they can launch every 10-12 months instead of every 3.5 years.
Why? NASA is framing this as a return to the Apollo mindset. SLS has the worst launch cadence of any NASA-designed vehicle… ever. It’s been 3+ years since Artemis I launched. The gap between Apollo 7 and 8 was just 9 weeks! You can't build muscle memory launching once every few years. Plus… China.
The response? A Senior NASA Official told me Congress and all prime contractors are on board - Boeing, Lockheed, SpaceX, and Blue Origin. And FWIW… so am I. 4:09 PM · Feb 27, 2026
Zitat NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman@NASAAdmin The days of NASA launching Moon rockets every 3 years are over.
The plan that we announced today will mean flying with greater frequency, ensuring that we will deliver on @POTUS’ directive of returning Americans to the Moon in 2028. 9:44 PM · Feb 27, 2026
Das ist jetzt wirklich aus der Abteilung "Flurfunk" (zur Zeit der alten Bunzreplik Bonner Zuschnitts hieß das "wie aus gewöhnlich gut informierten Kreisen verlautet"), deshalb gebe ich das mit Vorbehalt weiter.
Zitat NASASpaceflight.com Artemis II: Very much subject to change, but we're hearing from KSC folk that there's a target of NET March 19 for SLS to roll back to 39B. That's still a while away, thus subject to change, but it does point to them having a good grasp of the issue and the resolution path. March 2 2026
Zitat NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman@NASAAdmin Endeavoring for not just one, but TWO Moon landings in 2028.
Coming weeks: Artemis II around the Moon Mid-2027: Artemis III rendezvousing with one or both HLS providers, testing space suits in low Earth orbit Early 2028: Artemis IV lunar landing Late 2028: Artemis V lunar landing, beginning work on lunar base
This is how we get back to the Moon with urgency, to stay.
Zitat ... so kind of our big announcement is: we are going to get back to basics; we're going to start launching rockets with frequency; we're going to get into a great cadence with SLS, so we'll launch Artemis II in a matter of weeks. We'll add a mission in 2027, wehre we're going to launch an Orion into low earth orbit, rendezvous with one or both of our landers - so you've got Blue Origin making a lander; you've got SpaceX making a lander. We're going to rendzvous, use this as an opportunity to stress test the vehicle, make sure it perfroms as we expect, maybe even do a test of our EVA suit, the xEVA suit for the moon. And that will set us up for a further successful attempt at landing, with up to two opportunities. We are preparing for two potential landing opportunities for 2028, with Artemis IV and V.
Zitat Mike Killian Photography Engineers have fixed the helium flow problem at the Artemis-2 SLS rocket’s upper stage, and will roll back out to the launch pad in a couple weeks. Workers found a seal blocking the pathway of helium flow into the rocket. They fixed the problem and loaded helium at a reduced flow rate to confirm, but they are still tracking down why the seal became dislodged to begin with. Workers also replaced the rocket’s self destruct batteries (flight termination system), and replaced/charged other flight batteries as needed. They are replacing some other seals too. Still aiming for launch in early April.
Zitat NASA Repairs Upper Stage Helium Flow, Preps Continue Ahead of Rollout
With NASA’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft in the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have accessed the launch vehicle stage adapter to inspect components that prevented helium from flowing to the upper stage after a Feb. 21 wet dress rehearsal.
Engineers determined a seal in the quick disconnect, through which helium flows from the ground systems to the rocket, was obstructing the pathway. The team removed the quick disconnect, reassembled the system, and began validating the repairs to the upper stage by running a reduced flow rate of helium through the mechanism to ensure the issue was resolved. Engineers are assessing what allowed the seal to become dislodged to prevent the issue from recurring.
While the upper stage repair has been underway, technicians also have been working to refresh other systems on the rocket. They are activating a new set of flight termination system batteries ahead of end-to-end retesting of the system and also are replacing the flight batteries on the upper stage, core stage, and solid rocket boosters, and charging the Orion launch abort system batteries. Work to replace a seal on the core stage liquid oxygen line feed system began March 2. Once complete, teams will reassemble the oxygen tail service mast umbilical plate and perform various integrity tests to ensure the seal interface is tight.
Work on the rocket and spacecraft will continue in the coming weeks as NASA prepares for rolling the rocket out to the launch pad again later this month ahead of a potential launch in April.
Zitat Everyday Astronaut@Erdayastronaut·2h Well, it’s official… @NASA has killed the EUS (upper stage of SLS-1B) and the mobile launch tower 2, both of which have faced serious problems, overruns and delays. This probably should have been done years ago, but better late than never. https://reddit.com/r/nasa/s/DnUeH 6:26 AM · Mar 4, 2026
Zitat Artemis III: NASA added a new demonstration mission in low Earth orbit in mid-2027 to test one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin respectively. The mission will launch crew in Orion on top of the SLS rocket to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and private commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon. This test will take place with one or both providers.
Artemis IV: NASA continues to target the first Artemis lunar landing in early 2028, which has been the target landing date since mid-2025. After launch, crew will transfer from Orion to a commercial lunar lander for transportation to the surface of the Moon. Lander readiness will determine which provider will safely carry them to the surface and back to Orion in lunar orbit before crew return home aboard Orion – splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean. Work to standardize the SLS rocket will be implemented for Artemis IV. With this architecture approach, NASA is assessing alternative options for the second stage of the rocket. The interim cryogenic propulsion stage used for the first three missions will be replaced with a new second stage, and the agency is no longer planning to use the Exploration Upper Stage or Mobile Launcher 2, as development of both has faced delays.
Artemis V: Using the standardized configuration of the SLS rocket, NASA anticipates launching this lunar surface mission by late 2028, and future missions about once per year thereafter. This mission also is when NASA is expected to begin building its Moon base.
Zitat With that context, here are the prinicpal policy choices I believe should be made to shore up the Artemis Program both in the near and long term: # Cancel the Lunar Gateway # Candel the Block 1B upgrade of the SLS rocket # Designate Centaur V as the new upper stage for the SLS rocket.
"The politically incorrect guide to saving NASA’s floundering Artemis Program"
Zitat With that context, here are the principal policy choices I believe should be made to shore up the Artemis Program both in the near and long term:
Cancel the Lunar Gateway Cancel the Block 1B upgrade of the SLS rocket Designate Centaur V as the new upper stage for the SLS rocket.
That’s it in a nutshell. Read on for the details.
"Les hommes seront toujours fous; et ceux qui croient les guérir sont les plus fous de la bande." - Voltaire
Zitat The Launch Pad@TLPN_Official·6h 🚨BREAKING! Japan's SpaceOne KAIROS Rocket Launch Ends In Failure🚨 Space One’s KAIROS No. 3 rocket suffered an anomaly during first stage flight following liftoff on March 5, 2026 at 11:10 a.m. local time from the Kii Spaceport in Japan.
According to the company, the vehicle experienced a major issue during ascent which led teams to determine that mission success was no longer possible. Flight controllers then activated the Flight Termination System (FTS) to safely end the mission.
Video from the launch shows an explosion during first stage flight, after which the rocket began spinning out of control before breaking apart.
Space One released the following statement: “Kairos No. 3 was launched on March 5, 2026, at 11:10:00 a.m., but we determined that mission success was difficult and implemented flight termination measures. Details are currently under investigation.”
This marks another setback for the KAIROS launch vehicle, as the company continues working toward establishing Japan’s first private orbital launch capability. 3:43 AM · Mar 5, 2026
Kursabweichung und Sprengung durch das Notfallsystem nach 56 Sekunden.
PS.
Zitat It was the third straight failure for Kairos. The rocket's debut flight, in March 2024, ended just five seconds after liftoff when the rocket's flight termination system detected lower-than-expected velocity and thrust.
The second launch, in December 2024, lasted longer but also met an explosive end. Space One terminated that mission about three minutes into flight, at an altitude of roughly 62 miles (100 kilometers), after detecting performance anomalies. Five satellites were lost.
Five small spacecraft were lost on Wednesday's flight as well. They were supposed to be deployed about 50 minutes after launch at an altitude of 310 miles (500 kilometers), according to Japanese outlet NHK.
Zitat Spaceflight Now@SpaceflightNow On Friday afternoon, a new contract was published that confirms NASA's selection of @ulalaunch Vulcan upper stage, the Centaur V, as the new upper stage of the Space Launch System rocket beginning with the Artemis IV mission.
Zitat Vulcan Centaur V Upper Stage for Space Launch System Active Opportunity Notice ID 80MSFC-VC5-JOFOC Inactive Dates: Apr 05, 2026 - Inactive Policy: 30 days after published date - published Date Mar 06, 2026 3:26 PM EST
Description
NASA/MSFC has a requirement for next-generation upper stages for use in Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis IV and Artemis V.
NASA/MSFC intends to issue a sole source contract to acquire next-generation upper stages for use in Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis IV and Artemis V from United Launch Alliance (ULA) in accordance with FAR 6.103-1(c), Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements due to the highly specialized nature of this requirement
A determination by the Government not to compete this acquisition on a full and open competition basis is solely within the discretion of the Government.
Zitat ASASpaceflight.com 🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨 NASA Artemis II cleared for launch no earlier than April 1st, 2026 Following the Flight Readiness Review (FRR), NASA is officially targeting no earlier than April 1st, 2026 for the launch of the crewed Artemis II mission around the Moon. Rollout to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is scheduled a week from today, on March 19th, 2026. Another Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) before launch is not planned.
Zitat NASA says its Artemis 2 moon rocket is all fixed up. It could launch astronauts to the moon on April 1
Artemis 2 managers met over the past two days, conducting the mission's flight readiness review (FRR) ahead of rolling its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule back to the launch pad for liftoff. Repairs to the SLS were recently completed inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, where ground teams will now prepare the vehicle for transportation to KSC's Launch Complex-39B.
That rollout is now scheduled for March 19, with NASA targeting a launch as soon as April 1, agency officials announced today (March 12).
"During the flight readiness review, we had extremely thorough discussions — very open, transparent," Lori Glaze, NASA's Exploration Systems Development acting associate administrator, said during a post-FRR press briefing today. It's a short timeline, but NASA officials say they're putting safety first as they work toward their next launch opportunity.
"We talked a lot about our risk posture and how we're mitigating those risks," Glaze said. "We reviewed the challenges that we've had and how we've addressed them, and we talked about the work that remains, what's left to do, and how we're going to get through all of that."
Zitat Glaze said one reason to forgo another wet dress test is to preserve the fuel tanks: Every time NASA fills them up with propellant, “it takes a little bit of the life out of those tanks.”
She added, “We don’t want to give up any of the days in our April launch window for a wet dress rehearsal.”
Bitte beachten Sie diese Forumsregeln: Beiträge, die persönliche Angriffe gegen andere Poster, Unhöflichkeiten oder vulgäre Ausdrücke enthalten, sind nicht erlaubt; ebensowenig Beiträge mit rassistischem, fremdenfeindlichem oder obszönem Inhalt und Äußerungen gegen den demokratischen Rechtsstaat sowie Beiträge, die gegen gesetzliche Bestimmungen verstoßen. Hierzu gehört auch das Verbot von Vollzitaten, wie es durch die aktuelle Rechtsprechung festgelegt ist. Erlaubt ist lediglich das Zitieren weniger Sätze oder kurzer Absätze aus einem durch Copyright geschützten Dokument; und dies nur dann, wenn diese Zitate in einen argumentativen Kontext eingebunden sind. Bilder und Texte dürfen nur hochgeladen werden, wenn sie copyrightfrei sind oder das Copyright bei dem Mitglied liegt, das sie hochlädt. Bitte geben Sie das bei dem hochgeladenen Bild oder Text an. Links können zu einzelnen Artikeln, Abbildungen oder Beiträgen gesetzt werden, aber nicht zur Homepage von Foren, Zeitschriften usw. Bei einem Verstoß wird der betreffende Beitrag gelöscht oder redigiert. Bei einem massiven oder bei wiederholtem Verstoß endet die Mitgliedschaft. Eigene Beiträge dürfen nachträglich in Bezug auf Tippfehler oder stilistisch überarbeitet, aber nicht in ihrer Substanz verändert oder gelöscht werden. Nachträgliche Zusätze, die über derartige orthographische oder stilistische Korrekturen hinausgehen, müssen durch "Edit", "Nachtrag" o.ä. gekennzeichnet werden. Ferner gehört das Einverständnis mit der hier dargelegten Datenschutzerklärung zu den Forumsregeln.
Sie sind vermutlich noch nicht im Forum angemeldet - Klicken Sie hier um sich kostenlos anzumelden
Offline
