NASA delays Artemis 2 pre-launch test due to cold snap

NASA has delayed an important test for the upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission.

The wet dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System was supposed to start Thursday, with the beginning of a 49-hour simulated launch countdown starting about 8 p.m. ET, Friday, according to Space.com.

The rehearsal is a “full scenario of an actual mission countdown” to 30 seconds before engine ignition, the website said.

Crews were supposed to start the tanking operation Saturday night for a potential launch on Feb. 6 or 7, NASA said.

But cold weather moved the start by two days, with the countdown starting on Jan. 31 and the end hitting at about 9 p.m. ET Feb 2.

Tanking is expected to start on Monday, NASA said.

The delay also pushes back the lift off until Feb. 8 at the earliest, WFTV reported.

It can go as far as Feb. 11, which is the same day that SpaceX Crew-11 mission is supposed to launch to the International Space Station.

Space.com noted that the wet dress rehearsal has to go smoothly at every point. The Artemis 1 rehearsal in 2022 had several issues, including hydrogen leaks that led to a six-month delay.

NASA will continue to monitor the weather.

“Over the past several days, engineers have been closely monitoring conditions as cold weather and winds move through Florida. Managers have assessed hardware capabilities against the projected forecast given the rare arctic outbreak affecting the state and decided to change the timeline,” the agency said in a news release.

Engineers have kept the Orion powered and have adjusted the spacecraft’s heaters, along with other parts of the rocket, for the cold weather.

The Artemis II crew is in quarantine in Houston. The launch will occur at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.