"While preparations were underway at the Kennedy Space Center for a launch as soon as March 6, the space agency says it ran into an issue with the flow of helium to its SLS rocket's upper stage this weekend and it now has to roll the rocket from the launch pad back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to figure out what's wrong and fix it."
"The upper stage uses helium to maintain the proper environmental conditions for the stage's engine and to pressurize liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks. The systems worked during NASA's Artemis II wet dress rehearsals, but teams were not able to properly flow helium during normal operations and reconfigurations following the wet dress rehearsal that concluded Feb. 19. Operators are using a backup method to maintain the environmental conditions for the upper stage engines"
Artemis II's March launch window is no longer viable after teams observed interrupted helium flow to the SLS rocket's interim cryogenic propulsion stage in the early hours of February 21. NASA will roll the rocket and Orion spacecraft four miles back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for diagnosis and repair, a transfer planned for Feb. 24. Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed the rollback removes March as an option while noting April could remain possible depending on findings and repair timelines. The upper stage uses helium to pressurize propellant tanks and maintain engine environmental conditions. Systems worked during wet dress rehearsals, but teams could not reestablish normal helium flow during reconfigurations, so operators used a backup method. A media briefing is scheduled this week.
Read at Engadget
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