NASA Fuels Moon Rocket Amid Leak in Key Test

NASA teams at Kennedy Space Center in Florida fueled the giant Space Launch System rocket on February 2, 2026, as part of a wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 moon mission. The test simulates launch day procedures ahead of the first crewed trip to orbit the moon since 1972, with a possible liftoff as early as February 8.

Background

The Artemis program aims to send astronauts back to the moon after more than 50 years. Artemis 1 flew uncrewed last year and succeeded. Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts in the Orion capsule to loop around the moon for about 10 days. The SLS rocket stands 322 feet tall on Launch Pad 39B. It uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, super-cold fuels kept at cryogenic temperatures.

Workers started the countdown two days early, on January 31 evening. Cold weather delayed the test from late January. Freezing temperatures and wind pushed tanking to February 2. Engineers adjusted heaters on Orion and protected rocket parts from the chill. The rehearsal covers powering systems, loading fuel, and running a fake countdown to simulate launch time.

This test matters because past rehearsals had issues. For Artemis 1, hydrogen leaks at connections slowed things down. Teams fixed those problems and wrote new steps to handle repeats. The rocket rolled to the pad weeks ago, stacked with Orion on top. Non-essential staff left the area Sunday morning for safety as fueling neared.

Key Details

Fueling kicked off around noon Eastern Time. Chilldown of fuel lines started at 11:42 a.m. to keep propellants cold. Liquid hydrogen went into the core stage first at 12:15 p.m., then liquid oxygen at 12:25 p.m. The process takes about three hours for the main tanks. Over 700,000 gallons of fuel fill the rocket.

Hydrogen Leak Pauses Loading

At 1:32 p.m., teams stopped hydrogen loading for troubleshooting. A small leak showed at the tail service mast umbilical, a hose connection at the rocket base. Liquid oxygen kept flowing. This spot had leaks in Artemis 1 tests too. NASA used those old fixes to check valves and seals.

"Teams stopped loading cryogenic liquid hydrogen into the Artemis 2 SLS core stage at 1:32 p.m. EST for troubleshooting," a NASA update stated during the live stream.

Engineers called it within safe limits. By late afternoon, hydrogen fast fill resumed, over five hours before the target simulated launch at 9 p.m. The upper stage got liquid oxygen chilldown and hydrogen at 20%. Oxygen in the core hit 90%. A topping phase followed to replace boiled-off hydrogen.

The countdown clock aimed for T-0 at 9 p.m. EST on February 2, or 0200 GMT February 3. It could stretch to 1 a.m. EST February 3 if needed. Steps included crew module hatch work, arm retraction, and engine starts in simulation. Holds at 40 minutes and 30 minutes test team responses. Launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson gave the go for fueling at 11:25 a.m.

Closeout crew headed to the white room for Orion checks. They secure hatches and panels as if astronauts boarded. Pad rescue teams stood ready. Orion batteries charged, and communications tested.

What This Means

A smooth test clears the path for launch between February 8 and 11. Delays from weather already shifted from February 6 or 7. If the rehearsal hits snags, more windows open in March and April. Success confirms ground teams handle fuel loads without big problems on real launch day.

The leak shows risks with cryogenic fuels that boil fast. But resuming quickly means fixes work. Artemis 2 crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen—trained for this. They will fly Orion around the moon, testing life support and heat shield for future landings.

NASA shares live views from the pad. Early results briefings come soon. The agency stresses safety after years of work. Each step builds toward Artemis 3, a moon landing in 2027 or later. Cold weather protections held up, keeping hardware safe.

Teams now run terminal count drills. They practice holds, power shifts, and go/no-go polls. Core stage engines would spin up two minutes before fake liftoff. Boosters and upper stage switch to internal power. All this ensures no surprises when real countdown starts.

The wet dress rehearsal wraps a long prep list. Rocket stacking finished months back. Orion arrived by plane. Four astronauts named in 2023. Mission lasts 10 days, splashing down in the Pacific. It paves way for sustainable moon presence and Mars trips later.