Arctic cold forces NASA to postpone key pre-launch tests – Firstpost

Nasa has revised the timeline for its Artemis II mission after extreme winter weather in Florida forced the postponement of critical pre-launch activities, delaying the earliest possible launch of the historic crewed Moon mission.

An unusual Arctic cold wave has swept across Florida’s space coast, bringing freezing temperatures and strong winds to the Kennedy Space Center. The severe conditions raised safety concerns for key flight hardware, including the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft, both of which are highly sensitive to prolonged exposure to extreme cold.

Protecting critical flight hardware

In response to the weather threat, Nasa engineers shifted focus to safeguarding the spacecraft and rocket. Specialised heaters and environmental control systems were deployed to prevent potential damage. While Florida’s space coast is typically known for its mild climate, the current cold snap posed sufficient risk to disrupt launch preparations.

Wet dress rehearsal postponed

Due to the unsafe conditions, Nasa postponed the mission’s wet dress rehearsal — a crucial pre-launch test that involves loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket. Agency officials said proceeding with the operation in freezing temperatures would violate strict safety protocols designed to protect both equipment and ground personnel.

Revised timeline and launch impact

The wet dress rehearsal, originally scheduled for the weekend, has now been rescheduled for February 2. The test is the final full-scale simulation of launch-day procedures and represents the last major technical milestone before astronauts are cleared for flight.

With the rehearsal delayed, Nasa has ruled out the previously planned launch windows of February 6 and 7, pushing the earliest possible liftoff of the Artemis II mission further into February.