NASA to roll back Artemis II rocket on February 24 after helium issue

NASA said it will roll back its Artemis II Moon rocket and spacecraft from the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center as soon as Tuesday, February 24, weather permitting, after engineers identified an issue with helium flow to the rocket’s upper stage.

The rollback will allow teams to return the integrated Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to diagnose and resolve the problem. Helium plays a critical role in pressurization and propellant management systems in the upper stage.




On February 21, mission managers decided to remove recently installed platforms ahead of forecast high winds along Florida’s Space Coast, enabling preparations for rollback while technical discussions continued.

The journey back to the VAB covers approximately four miles and takes several hours using NASA’s crawler-transporter. The agency said early preparations could help preserve the April launch window, depending on the outcome of inspections and repair timelines.

The Artemis II crew members were released from quarantine on February 21 and remain in Houston. NASA said it will hold a media briefing in the coming days to provide further updates on the rollback and plans for the Artemis II test flight.