NASA chief rules out March launch of Moon mission over technical issues

NASA's Artemis 2 Moon mission launch is postponed from March due to technical issues with the SLS rocket's helium flow.

NASA chief Jared Isaacman on Saturday (February 21, 2026) ruled out a March launch for Artemis 2, the first crewed flyby mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, citing technical issues.

Workers detected a problem with helium flow to the massive SLS rocket that will "take the March launch window out of consideration," Mr. Issacman said in a post on X.

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"I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor," Mr. Isaacman said.

"During the 1960s, when NASA achieved what most thought was impossible, and what has never been repeated since, there were many setbacks."

The towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to investigate the technical issues and make any necessary repairs, Isaacman said.