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3d ago

Cold Snap Pushes Artemis II Wet Rehearsal to Feb. 2, Earliest Launch Now Feb. 8

A rare Arctic outbreak in Florida forced NASA to delay fueling and countdown testing, with a launch date to be set only after reviewing wet dress rehearsal results.

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Overview

  • NASA postponed the wet dress rehearsal from late January to Monday, Feb. 2, moving the first possible launch attempt to Sunday, Feb. 8.
  • Strict temperature rules for tanking the Space Launch System—such as 24‑hour averages near 41.4°F depending on wind and humidity—precluded fueling during the cold snap.
  • Orion remains powered with heaters and environmental purges configured to protect hardware at Pad 39B while teams await suitable conditions.
  • February launch options are now limited to Feb. 8, 10, and 11, with any further slips handled day‑for‑day and a possible shift to March or April pending test outcomes and a Flight Readiness Review.
  • NASA says the Crew‑12 ISS mission timing depends on Artemis II: if Artemis flies Feb. 8, Crew‑12 targets about Feb. 19; if Artemis stands down, Crew‑12 could go as early as Feb. 11, with Feb. 13 possible if Artemis attempts and then delays.