NASA Artemis Rocket’s First Flight Is Delayed

NASA excited space enthusiasts worldwide when it announced that it would send humans back to the moon. Unfortunately, the program has been hit with several delays, and the latest delay has postponed the first launch of the SLS rocket and Orion capsule.

NASA announced this week that the SLS rocket and Orion would be transported to the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center sometime in March. As for why the mission has been delayed, NASA’s Mike Bolger told Space.com the flight hardware would be launched when it and the team were ready.

However, NASA was clear the delay had nothing to do with significant issues for the rocket. The additional time allows the team to complete closeout activities inside the Vehicle Assembly Building before the rocket launches for the first time.

No specific timeframe for the launch has been announced, with NASA saying mid-March is likely to be the date. A more specific date will be chosen when the team is closer to the final close-out for the rocket.