Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: NASA

NASA is troubleshooting an Artemis II rocket upper stage issue, preparing to roll back the mammoth booster to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The problem was observed overnight Feb. 21 – an interrupted flow of helium to the Space Launch System’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS).

Built by Boeing and United Launch Alliance, the ICPS is a modified Delta Cryogenic Second Stage.

SLS Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). Image credit: NASA

Artemis lunar missions – path forward

“Regardless of the potential fault, accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X. “We will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration.”

Isaacman said a more extensive briefing later this coming week should be expected, “as we outline the path forward, not just for Artemis II, but for subsequent missions, to ensure NASA meets the President’s vision to return to the Moon and, this time, to stay.”