A full moon rises near the Space Launch System (SLS), with the Orion crew capsule, at launch complex 39B at Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, Feb 1, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Steve Nesius)

NASA eyes launch of astronaut moon mission after passing key test

NASA is targeting Mar 6 for the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby, pending final safety checks and readiness reviews, after a successful launch rehearsal.

20 Feb 2026, 21:30 · CNA · Join

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WASHINGTON: NASA officials on Friday (Feb 20) said the agency was targeting Mar 6 for the launch of four astronauts around the moon and back as part of its Artemis II mission after overcoming rocket-fuelling snags in a second key launch rehearsal this week, but cautioned that remaining prep work could warrant more time.

The US space agency on Thursday night capped a nearly 50-hour rehearsal of the Artemis II launch countdown, fuelling the rocket with some 730,000 gallons of propellant without running into the pesky hydrogen leaks that hobbled an initial rehearsal last month, officials said during a news conference.

Artemis program managers were elated that the Wet Dress Rehearsal, a comprehensive simulation of the Space Launch System's launch-day countdown, went smoothly, but said remaining work ahead could still push the launch date further into NASA's March launch window.

"I felt like last night was a big step in us earning our right to fly. So, felt really good, very proud of the team," said NASA launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.

Remaining work includes testing the rocket's flight termination system and conducting a sweeping Flight Readiness Review, a day-long meeting of agency management during which they effectively double-check all rocket hardware and mission procedures before liftoff.

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