NASA Chief Jared Isaacman confirmed on Saturday that the March launch window for Artemis 2—the first crewed mission to the Moon in nearly half a century—had been shelved due to critical technical issues with the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Issacman, who addressed this development directly through his account on Twitter, highlighted that workers had identified problems with helium flow, which significantly constrained the launch window. “This discovery has taken us out of our original March planning,” he wrote. “I understand that people are disappointed by these news developments. This disappointment is particularly keen among NASA’s team, who have been meticulously preparing for this historic venture.”
Issacman’s statement reminded observers of a parallel period in space exploration history: the 1960s, when NASA accomplished feats deemed impossible and never replicated since.
In preparation for Artemis 2, the towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will now be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A thorough investigation of these technical issues will commence alongside any necessary repairs to ensure a safe, successful mission ahead.
“Artemis 2 promises not only to honor the legacy set by past endeavors but also to pave new paths for lunar exploration,” Isaacman concluded, emphasizing the continued importance of this journey despite current setbacks.