The launch of Artemis II is coming soon at Kennedy Space Center, and it is going to be unlike anything most people have seen in their lifetimes. The last time a crewed moon rocket launched from this pad at Kennedy was Apollo 17 in December 1972, and the Space Launch System is even more powerful than the Saturn V that carried those astronauts to the Moon. The plumes will be blinding, the sound will rattle your chest and your car windows, and the moment will be etched in your memory forever. If you are a photographer, you have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to document history.
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Artemis I mission is the first integrated flight test of the agency’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47am ET from Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. NASA/Bill Ingalls
This morning, NASA officially announced a no earlier than March 6th target launch date for Artemis II. That date is contingent on completion of some work at the launch pad, and a positive result from the upcoming Launch Readiness Review, which is scheduled for late next week.
Artemis II, earlier this month at Kennedy Space Center Photo: Charles Boyer
NASA is moving ahead with a second wet dress rehearsal, or WDR-2, for the Artemis II mission. Launch controllers will take their positions in the Launch Control Center at 6:40 PM ET tonight (Feb. 17), kicking off a nearly 50-hour countdown sequence. The simulated launch window opens at 8:30 PM on February 19th and extends four hours.
Artemis II on the launch pad earlier this month Photo: Charles Boyer
NASA engineers are poring over data from tests conducted on February 12th as part of the Artemis II vehicle’s pre-flight checkouts. During the tests, operators partially filled the Artemis II core stage liquid hydrogen tank to evaluate newly replaced seals in the propellant loading area.
When NASA wrapped up the first Artemis II wet dress rehearsal on February 3 at Kennedy Space Center, they had successfully filled the SLS rocket’s tanks with cryogenic propellant. That was the good news, but the less welcome bad news was that the test revealed higher-than-allowable hydrogen gas leaks at the Tail Service Mast Unit on the launch pad. Obviously, those leaks must be repaired before a launch attempt.
NASA Stream from the first Wet Dress Rehearsal indicated full LH2 and LOX tanks on SLS. Credit: NASA
The Work For WDR-2 Started As Soon As WDR-1 Was Completed
Not long after propellant draining was complete after WDR-1, technicians began working to access the TSMU umbilical. They detached both the rocket-side and ground-side interface plates to inspect the area where elevated hydrogen levels were detected, and replaced seals around two fueling lines.
The two tail service masts — each about three stories tall — provide the cryogenic propellant lines and electrical cable connections to the SLS core stage. They tilt back before launch and include “quick disconnects” — mechanisms that instantaneously detach at liftoff to ensure safe retraction.
Reconnecting the interfaces is expected to be complete by Monday, Feb. 9. Engineers are still evaluating the root cause of the leak, and the removed seals are being analyzed. NASA also plans additional testing at Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to evaluate the dynamics of the interface plates. Engineers are reviewing options to verify the repair before committing to the next full wet dress rehearsal.
Repairs For WDR-2
Here’s a breakdown of the repairs underway and the operational changes NASA is making for WDR-2:
Five Key Changes for the Next Rehearsal
Five Key Changes for the Next Rehearsal
Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal | Kennedy Space Center
Type
Change
Details
Hardware Fix
Two seals replaced
Seals replaced around fueling lines at the tail service mast umbilical where hydrogen concentrations exceeded allowable levels. Removed seals are being analyzed and additional plate dynamics testing is planned at Stennis.
Operations
Orion hatch closed before test
The crew module hatch will be sealed prior to the rehearsal. The closeout crew — who on launch day help astronauts into their seats and close both Orion hatches — will not be deployed to the pad.
Operations
Crew access arm stays extended
The arm will not be retracted during the next rehearsal. Engineers successfully demonstrated during the Feb. 3 test that the ground launch sequencer can retract it during the final countdown phase, so that objective is already complete.
Timeline
One extra hour in countdown
NASA has added 30 minutes of extra hold time at each of two planned holds — one before and one after tanking operations — to allow more time for troubleshooting. The total countdown is now one hour longer. This does not affect the crew’s launch-day timeline.
Focus Shift
Rehearsal focused on fueling
With the crew access arm retraction and other pad objectives already demonstrated, the next WDR will concentrate on tanking operations and verifying the hydrogen leak repair.
NASA continues to eye March as the next potential launch opportunity but will not set a targeted launch date until after completing a successful wet dress rehearsal and reviewing the data. The critical second WDR is set to start as soon as this Friday, February 13th.
Artemis II at LC-39B on February 1, 2026 Photo: Charles Boyer
Teams at Kennedy Space Center conducted and mostly completed a critical Wet Dress Rehearsal for the launch of the Artemis II rocket and ground support teams yesterday. The test was not without problems: Hydrogen leaks at the tail mast area of the pad and an issue closing Orion’s hatches bedeviled the tests, resulting in NASA announcing that the launch of the Artemis II mission is now no earlier than March 6, 2026.
“The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown was terminated at the T-5:15 minute mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, which had experienced high concentrations of liquid hydrogen earlier in the countdown, as well,” NASA said.
A view of the Tail Mast and the retractable Liquid Hydrogen feed lines for SLS. Photo: NASA
In a press conference today, Artemis II Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said, “When we got into the LH2 fast fill—which was around 12:29—is when we picked up our first leak in the SMU, in the cavity, which is where the flight and the ground plate come together. It’s that cavity in between. It’s in our eight-inch fill and drain line there. We have a QD that connects those two together.”
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson in today’s NASA press conference. Via NASA livestream
“It was similar to some of the signatures we saw during Artemis I. Our leak rate was a little bit higher—somewhere around 12 to 14%,” Blackwell-Thompson continued. “We tried a contingency procedure that we used during Artemis I: you let that QD warm up, you let the seal warm up, and you try it again. We did that a couple of times, worked our way through it, and were able to load the core stage all the way to replenish.”
When asked what items were missed in the Wet Dress Rehearsal, Blackwell-Thompson said, “What we didn’t get to do: we wanted to get through terminal count. We wanted to get inside terminal count, hold, and verify our three-minute hold capability—tanks in launch-ready state and you can hold them for up to three minutes.”
“We also wanted to demonstrate a recycle: come down, have a planned cutoff, come back and retarget a new T-0 within the launch window. Didn’t get a chance to do that.”
What’s Next
Before the March window, NASA’s engineers and mission managers will review data, equipment and procedures from the WDR yesterday and they will conduct a second Wet Dress Rehearsal before committing to a launch date. Of key interest are the Tail Mast interfaces that deliver LH2 to the rocket’s propellant tanks.
“With the conclusion of the wet dress rehearsal today, we are moving off the February launch window and targeting March for the earliest possible launch of Artemis II,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said today. “With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges. That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch day with the highest probability of success.”
Remaining Launch Windows
ARTEMIS II MISSION AVAILABILITY – SPRING 2026
(Subject to Adjustments)
March 2026
Mon
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Sun
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April 2026
Mon
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Launch Window Available
Launch Window Opening
Window
Date
Local Time
UTC
Lighting
Mins
Mar 6
8:29 PM EST
Mar 7, 01:29
2.05 hrs after sunset
120
Mar 7
8:57 PM EST
Mar 8, 01:57
2.51 hrs after sunset
120
Mar 8
10:56 PM EDT
Mar 9, 02:56
3.48 hrs after sunset
120
Mar 9
11:52 PM EDT
Mar 10, 03:52
4.40 hrs after sunset
120
Mar 10
12:48 AM EDT
Mar 10, 04:48
5.36 hrs after sunset
115
Apr 1
6:24 PM EDT
Apr 1, 22:24
1.28 hrs before sunset
120
Apr 3
8:00 PM EDT
Apr 4, 00:00
0.30 hrs after sunset
120
Apr 4
8:53 PM EDT
Apr 5, 00:53
1.17 hrs after sunset
120
Apr 5
9:40 PM EDT
Apr 6, 01:40
1.95 hrs after sunset
120
Apr 6
10:36 PM EDT
Apr 7, 02:36
2.87 hrs after sunset
120
Apr 30
6:06 PM EDT
Apr 30, 22:06
1.86 hrs before sunset
120
↔ Scroll table on mobile
As of: February 3, 2026 at 8:32 AM EST
The Good and The Bad
A liquid hydrogen leak at the LC-39B’s Tail Mast umbilical connection to SLS’s core stage forced engineers into a troubleshooting effort that pushed the countdown about two hours behind schedule. The team cycled through several repair attempts, first halting LH2 flow, then letting the interface warm so seals could seat themselves properly, and finally by tweaking propellant flow rates before pressing ahead. Ultimately, they were successful in their efforts and got the 322-foot tall rocket fully fueled, but a great deal of time was lost during the effort.
NASA graphic from their livestream indicated that SLS was fully loaded with propellant by 5:45 PM ET
Secondly, a recently replaced valve tied to Orion’s crew hatch pressurization system needed to be retorqued, and closeout work ran longer than expected. NASA stated around 10 PM last night that, “The closeout crew remains in the White Room and has closed the Orion spacecraft’s crew module hatch. While performing seal pressurization checks on the counterbalance assembly, which could be used to help open the hatch, a valve associated with Orion’s hatch pressurization was inadvertently vented. The counterbalance assembly then needed to be repressurized to allow work to continue.”
Finally, communications issues from SLS to ground caused some issues and will need to be remediated prior to the next Wet Dress Rehearsal, much less any launch attempt in March.
Clearly, there’s some work to do before Artemis II will be ready to fly.
The Artemis II crew has been released from quarantine for the time being. Once a new potential launch date becomes clearer, they will return to quarantine and fly to Kennedy Space Center for final preparations prior to launch.
NASA has scheduled a 1 PM ET press conference to offer more details.
Artemis II stands tall in the chilly air on February 1st, 2026 Photo: Charles Boyer
The countdown for the Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal is underway at Kennedy Space Center. Yesterday at 8:13 PM ET, or L-48:40 hours, the simulated countdown began in preparation for a test launch window opening at 9 PM tomorrow, February 2nd.
Artemis II will not launch during this countdown, of course, as it is just a test countdown. The Artemis II crew will not be aboard during Orion the WDR.
Sometime around 1 AM ET Tuesday, or February 3rd, the WDR will conclude.
What Comes After The WDR
After the test cycle concludes, engineers and mission managers will review data gathered during the Wet Dress Rehearsal. This process may take a few days as each major system is reviewed. Since Artemis I, NASA has implemented changes to the liquid Hydrogen systems at LC-39B. That will be a particular area of concern, as H2 leaks bedeviled the Artemis I countdowns both in WDR and later on the night it launched.
After the Data Review, a Flight Readiness Review can be held, during which all aspects of the mission are reviewed: the SLS rocket, the Orion spacecraft, ground systems at the Cape, and the status of the recovery teams that would be first responders to a major anomaly, should one occur, and many others.
The FRR is last major review for the flight, and in it, the Artemis II management team will need to give the mission permission to proceed towards a launch. Only after that milestone is achieved will a launch date and time be announced by NASA.
Artemis II on the launch mount at LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center Photo: Charles Boyer
The Wet Dress Rehearsal In Detail
L-49 Hours, 15 Minutes and Counting
Time
Activity
L-49H 15M
Launch team arrives on stations; countdown begins
L-48H 40M
Countdown clock begins
L-48H 45M – L-39H 45M
LOX/LH2 system preparations for vehicle loading
L-47H 30M – L-38H 30M
Fill water tank for sound suppression system
L-40H 30M – L-39H
Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) powered up
L-39H 30M – L-38H 45M
Core stage powered up
L-38H 45M – L-34H 30M
Final preparations of four RS-25 engines
L-34 Hours, 30 Minutes and Counting
Time
Activity
L-33H 45M – L-33H 10M
ICPS powered down
L-32H 30M – L-28H 30M
Charge Orion flight batteries to 100%
L-30H 30M – L-23H 30M
Charge core stage flight batteries
L-19H 30M – L-16H
Orion crew suit regulator leak checks
L-19H 15M – L-17H 45M
ICPS powered up for launch
L-15 Hours and Counting
Time
Activity
L-14H 30M – L-13H
All non-essential personnel leave Launch Complex 39B
L-13H 15M – L-11H 05M
Air-to-GN2 changeover and vehicle cavity inerting
L-12H 45M – L-11H 15M
Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) activation
L-11 Hours, 40 Minutes and Counting
Time
Activity
L-11H 35M – L-9H 20M
Built-in hold: 2 hours, 15 minutes
L-11H 40M – L-10H 30M
Weather and tanking briefing
L-10H 20M
Go/No-Go decision to begin tanking
L-10H 20M – L-9H
Orion cold soak
L-10H 10M – L-9H 50M
Core stage LOX transfer line chilldown
L-10H 10M – L-9H 25M
Core stage LH2 chilldown
L-10 Hours and Counting
Time
Activity
L-9H 50M – L-9H 10M
Core stage LOX main propulsion system chilldown
L-9H 25M – L-9H
Core stage LH2 slow fill start
L-9H 20M
Resume T-Clock from T-8H 10M
L-9H 10M – L-8H 55M
Core stage LOX slow fill
L-9H – L-7H 40M
Core stage LH2 fast fill
L-8H 55M – L-6H 10M
Core stage LOX fast fill
L-8H 45M – L-8H 10M
ICPS LH2 chilldown
L-8H 10M – L-7H 25M
ICPS LH2 fast fill start
L-7H 45M – L-6H
ICPS LOX main propulsion system chilldown
L-7H 40M – L-7H 30M
Core stage LH2 topping
L-7H 30M – terminal
Core stage LH2 replenish
L-7H 25M – L-7H 05M
ICPS LH2 vent and relief test
L-7H 05M – L-6H 55M
ICPS LH2 tank topping start
L-6H 50M – terminal
ICPS LH2 replenish
L-6H 10M – L-5H 40M
Orion communications system activated (RF to Mission Control)
The National Park Service has released an update concerning the status of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge during launch campaign for Artemis II
Playalinda Beach Hours Update – January 30, 2026
The National Park Service released this statement yesterday. Playalinda Beach is apparently now closed for the duration of the Artemis II launch campaign in February.
Attention Canaveral National Seashore Visitors
“Titusville—Canaveral National Seashore will be temporarily changing operating hours in the Playalinda District (Titusville) to support NASA and the Artemis II launch.
Beginning January 12th, Playalinda Beach operating hours will be 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. through January 30th.
Beginning January 31st through until the day of a successful launch, the entire Playalinda Beach District will be closed.
The seashore will resume normal operating hours (6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.) the day after Artemis II successfully launches.”
For up-to-date information, visit the park’s Facebook and Instagram: @canaveralnatlseashore
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Update – January 30, 2026
As for MINWR, it looks like most of the site will be closed from February 8th, except for the north end up by the Mid-Course Radar Site and Haulover Bridge — far from any optimal view of the launch.
Attention Merritt Island NWR Visitors
“Kennedy Space Center security has informed us that they will close the roads leading into the Refuge at 4:30AM on Sunday 2/8. Only badged employees will be allowed to enter through the west entrance adjacent to Parrish Park and the Max Brewer Bridge. The Haulover canal bridge will also be raised, preventing access south of the canal. Those who enter by boat through the Haulover Canal will find the Mosquito Lagoon closed south of the canal. Conservation officers will be on the water enforcing this closure. These closures are for safety reasons.”
For up-to-date information, visit the refuge’s Facebookpage
The West Entrance to Kennedy Space Center on Beach Road.
Also worth noting:
Jan 17 – Feb 6 (or until launch): The south gate of BioLab Road will remain closed. Vehicular traffic will be restricted at the intersection of BioLab Road and Max Hoeck Road/Trail.
Stay Tuned
It’s important to keep in mind that these dates and times will be updated often depending on when Artemis II is slated to launch. Consult the following pages for the most up to date information:
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