Notable Quotes
We are faced with another space race.
Crew safety will remain the highest priority, ensuring NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, return home at the end of their mission.
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. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window.
A rollback would mean NASA will not launch Artemis II in the March launch window. However, the quick preparations enable NASA to potentially preserve the April launch window if a rollback is required, pending the outcome of data findings, repair efforts, and how the schedule comes to fruition in the coming days and weeks.
The leap from a lunar flyby to a surface landing was too big of a gap given the Space Launch System rocket only launches once every three or more years.
"This was a serious medical condition; that is why we're pursuing this path. The crew member's stable." — January 8, 2026