NASA is gearing up for a second attempt at the critical “wet dress rehearsal” for its Artemis II mission, now targeting Thursday, Feb. 19, as the primary tanking day. This full-scale test is a vital milestone before the agency can officially set a launch date for the first crewed mission to the Moon in over five decades.
The decision to proceed follows a partial fueling test on Feb. 12, which was cut short due to reduced liquid hydrogen flow. Over the weekend, engineers successfully replaced a suspected filter within the ground support equipment at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B. Having rectified the issue and reestablished the necessary environmental conditions, teams are now ready to validate the entire system’s performance.
The wet dress rehearsal is a comprehensive exercise designed to simulate launch day as closely as possible without the rocket actually lifting off. Launch controllers will begin a nearly 50-hour countdown on the evening of Feb. 17. The core of the operation will occur on Feb. 19, with a four-hour window opening at 8:30 p.m. EST. During this period, the team will load super-cold liquid propellant into the core stage and upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
A key focus will be on the final moments of the countdown. The team will run through the terminal count sequence twice, pausing at T-1 minute and 30 seconds and again at T-33 seconds to practice holds. They will then demonstrate a “recycle” of the countdown clock back to T-10 minutes before running a second terminal countdown, stopping just inside of T-30 seconds. This process thoroughly tests the ground and flight software and the team’s ability to respond to simulated issues that could cause a scrub.
Although the four Artemis II astronauts will not be aboard, their spacecraft will be put through its paces. A separate team will be at the pad to practice critical closeout operations, including sealing the hatches on the Orion capsule.
While this rehearsal is the final hurdle before a launch commitment, NASA has already identified a potential opportunity in early March. Managers have determined that March 6 is the earliest possible launch date, allowing sufficient time for a successful rehearsal, thorough data analysis, and the transition back to full launch operations. The agency will provide live views and updates during the test via its Artemis blog.
