NASA's second fueling test succeeds, clearing March launch

NASA successfully pumped more than 700,000 gallons of supercold fuel into its giant Space Launch System rocket Thursday, achieving minimal hydrogen leakage in a critical test that removes a major hurdle for a March lunar launch. The test at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, determines whether four astronauts can depart for the moon as early as March 6, marking the first crewed lunar journey since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The successful fueling test clears the path for Artemis II astronauts to return to the moon after a 54-year gap in human lunar exploration, though hydrogen leak challenges that have plagued NASA since the shuttle era remain a focus for future upgrades.

NASA Clears Critical Hurdle for Lunar Return

NASA completed a critical fueling test Thursday that engineers say removes a major obstacle for launching Artemis II astronauts to the moon in March, potentially marking the return of humans to lunar space for the first time in 54 years.

Launch teams pumped more than 700,000 gallons of supercold fuel into the Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and achieved minimal hydrogen leakage — well within safety limits, the space agency said. The test, a full dress rehearsal for launch procedures, determines whether the crew of four can depart as early as March 6 on a 10-day out-and-back mission.

Engineers Optimistic After Repairs

Hydrogen fuel leaks have dogged NASA since the space shuttle era. The first Artemis test flight without crew was grounded for months before finally launching in November 2022.

Between the first fueling test two weeks ago and Thursday’s repeat, engineers replaced seals and a clogged filter at the connections between the launch pad and the 322-foot Space Launch System rocket. Thursday’s results gave engineers confidence the new components would hold through an actual countdown.

The U.S.-Canadian crew of four astronauts began a two-week quarantine period Friday to provide flexibility within the March launch window. Three of them monitored Thursday’s test from the launch facility.

Milestone 54 Years in the Making

The mission will mark the first crewed lunar journey since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The astronauts will travel to the moon and back but will not land or enter lunar orbit — those achievements will come on later Artemis missions targeting the moon’s south pole.

“We will not launch unless we are ready and the safety of our astronauts will remain the highest priority,” said Jared Isaacman, NASA’s new administrator. Isaacman, a tech entrepreneur who financed his own orbital missions through SpaceX, took office two months ago.

Redesign Planned for Future Missions

Isaacman said he plans to redesign the fuel connections between the rocket and launch pad before Artemis III, a mission still years away that will attempt to land two astronauts near the moon’s south pole.

Isaacman also released a scathing report on Boeing’s Starliner capsule program. The report said the crisis that left two astronauts stuck aboard the International Space Station for months could have resulted in loss of crew and blamed both Boeing and NASA leadership for the failure.