Further to a Flight Readiness Review (FRR) that took place this week, NASA held a press conference today to highlight the progress made toward the Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. Work is continuing on the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft in NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) after a helium flow issue was encountered in February. In addition to addressing this issue, technicians also installed new batteries and retested the flight termination system and avionics and control systems. The mission management team was satisfied with the thorough discussions about risks and the overall results of the FRR and determined that they would try to launch as early as April 1, 2026, pending completion of all required work in the VAB and at the launch pad. The launch window opens at 6:24 pm ET.
Radiation is one of the key challenges faced by astronauts living and working beyond the protective shield of Earth’s atmosphere. As Canada and its international partners advance plans for missions to the Moon, and eventually Mars, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) continues to invest in technology to better understand exposure levels. The CSA has awarded a contract of $5.5 million to Bubble Technology Industries for the continued development of the CANS, a compact and autonomous instrument designed to measure neutron radiation exposure in space.
NASA will be rolling back the Artemis II SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida observing interrupted flow of helium in the rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS). Weather pending, the roll back will take place on Tuesday, February 24. NASA is investigating potential faults, but accessing and remediating any of these issues can only be performed in the VAB. This removes the March launch opportunities from consideration.
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Chris Cameron (VE8WD)
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