NASA has hit another roadblock in its mission to return to the moon.
The Artemis moon rocket is returning to the hangar after an issue with a helium system.
The Associated Press reported that the rocket’s helium pressurization system malfunctioned over the weekend. The rocket already had leaks of its hydrogen fuel, which delayed its planned launch for about a month.
The malfunction resulted in “an interrupted flow of helium to the SLS (Space Launch System), NASA said.
“The upper stage uses helium to maintain the proper environmental conditions for the stage’s engine and to pressurize liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks,” NASA explained in a news release.
The system worked during earlier wet dress rehearsals but failed during the latest rehearsal that finished on Feb. 19.
Because of the helium system malfunction, the launch, which was supposed to happen earlier this month and had been bumped to March, now won’t blast off until at least April.
The trip from the launch pad to the hangar is about four miles. The trip could take up to 12 hours, NASA said.
Four astronauts are supposed to launch as part of the Artemis II mission and will perform a lunar fly-around before returning to Earth.
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