Nasa will begin rolling back its powerful Artemis II Moon rocket from the launch pad today to address technical issues, with repairs set to begin shortly after it returns to the assembly facility.
The agency is targeting approximately 7:30 p.m. IST, Wednesday, February 25, to start moving the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Teams are closely monitoring wind speeds and temperature conditions ahead of the rollout to ensure safe transport.
The massive stack will undertake a slow journey of approximately 6.4 kilometers, a trek expected to take up to 12 hours.
The rocket will be transported aboard Nasa’s crawler-transporter back to the iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where technicians can access key components in a controlled environment.
Once inside the VAB, engineers will immediately begin installing work platforms around the section affected by a helium flow issue detected during earlier operations.
The rollback allows teams to safely inspect and repair the system before the mission proceeds toward launch readiness.
Nasa will also use the opportunity to replace batteries in the flight termination system, a critical safety feature designed to destroy the rocket in case it veers off course, and conduct comprehensive retesting.
Additional batteries in the upper stage will also be replaced as part of routine maintenance and mission assurance.
Artemis II is set to be Nasa’s first crewed mission under the Artemis program, sending astronauts around the Moon and paving the way for future lunar surface landings. While the rollback may slightly adjust timelines, officials emphasise that safety and system reliability remain the agency’s top priorities.
Nasa had planned to launch four astronauts on a return trip to the Moon on March 6, following which the technical glitches were detected.
The launch is now cancelled for March and will most likely happen in April 2026. The agency is expected ti provide more details as they begin repairs.
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