Dress-rehearsal countdown underway for critical Artemis II moon mission rocket fueling test

February 2, 2026

TL;DR

NASA is conducting a dress-rehearsal countdown and fueling test for the Artemis II mission's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The test involves loading over 750,000 gallons of supercold liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the rocket's stages.
The Artemis II mission is planned to send four astronauts on a flight around the moon.
The fueling test was delayed by two days due to predicted arctic weather.
The launch of Artemis II is now targeted for no earlier than February 8, which is Super Bowl Sunday.
The test aims to rehearse fueling procedures, check for leaks, and practice countdown and scrub procedures.
Improvements and upgrades have been made to the SLS rocket based on lessons learned from its maiden flight.
NASA has five launch opportunities in February, with the first two now unavailable due to the fueling test delay.

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