Artemis II launch is delayed after a hydrogen leak and now targets March.

NASA discovered a liquid hydrogen leak during a wet dress rehearsal and now says March is the earliest possible launch window; the four-person Artemis II crew has been released from quarantine and will return about two weeks before the next launch opportunity.

NASA has delayed the Artemis II crewed mission after discovering a liquid hydrogen leak during a wet dress rehearsal this week. The launch had been targeted for Feb. 8, and the agency now says March is the earliest possible window. Artemis II will carry four astronauts on a roughly 10-day flight around the Moon and follows an uncrewed Artemis test in 2022. NASA said teams will review rehearsal data and conduct another wet dress rehearsal before setting a new launch date. Key facts: - NASA identified a liquid hydrogen leak while loading propellant during a wet dress rehearsal. - The agency says March is the earliest possible launch opportunity while teams review data and plan a second wet dress rehearsal. - The four-person crew, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, were released from quarantine and will return about two weeks before the next launch window. Summary: The schedule for Artemis II has shifted to allow engineers time to review rehearsal data and repeat the wet dress rehearsal, moving the earliest launch opportunity to March. The immediate status is a pause for review and testing, and the astronauts have been taken out of quarantine until they re-enter roughly two weeks before the next planned launch window.