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1h ago

NASA Begins Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal After Cold Snap Delay

A critical fueling test will determine whether managers commit to the early‑February launch window.

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The NASA Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft is seen at Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
A photo of Artemis II's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft on Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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Overview

  • Engineers are loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant and running a full countdown simulation from 9 p.m. ET Monday to about 1 a.m. ET Tuesday, including planned recycle drills.
  • After the test, NASA will decide whether to target liftoff as early as Feb. 8 within a Feb. 8–11 window or slip to later opportunities in March or April.
  • NASA scheduled a news briefing for noon EST on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to share initial results and to decide whether to fly the quarantined crew to Kennedy Space Center.
  • A rare Arctic outbreak in Florida forced a two‑day schedule shift, with tanking constrained by roughly 41°F pad temperature limits and Orion kept warm with heaters.
  • Artemis II will send Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen on a roughly 10‑day lunar free‑return to test SLS and Orion without a landing, potentially setting a new distance record for humans from Earth.