NASA Completes Successful Artemis II Launch Rehearsal, Sets Stage for Crewed Lunar Orbit Mission

NASA engineers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida wrapped up the wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission at 10:16 p.m. Eastern time on February 19, 2026, after simulating a full launch countdown that stopped at T-29 seconds as planned.

Credit: NASA

The test involved loading more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the Space Launch System rocket's core stage and interim cryogenic propulsion stage, practicing hatch closures on the Orion spacecraft, and running through two terminal countdown sequences to validate systems and procedures for the upcoming flight that will carry four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth.

The rehearsal began with configuring the rocket with gaseous nitrogen at 7:00 a.m. to reduce fire risks and protect internal systems by displacing ambient air. By 9:27 a.m., Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson gave the “go” to start loading cryogenic propellants.

Teams then chilled down the lines for liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen on the core stage, transitioning to slow fill and then fast fill operations for both propellants by 11:45 a.m. after resolving a temporary ground communications issue by switching to backup channels.

Liquid hydrogen loading for the interim cryogenic propulsion stage started at 12:30 p.m., followed by liquid oxygen at 1:23 p.m., with all tanks reaching replenish mode by 2:41 p.m. to maintain levels against boil-off.

A 1-hour, 10-minute hold began at 3:32 p.m., during which the closeout crew traveled to the pad, secured the Orion crew module hatch at 4:40 p.m., and the launch abort system hatch at 6:17 p.m., verifying seals, environmental controls, and connections without the astronauts present.

The crew departed the pad at 7:02 p.m., leading into the terminal count phase.

After an extension of the T-10 minute hold to adjust core stage engine temperatures, Blackwell-Thompson issued another “go” at 8:32 p.m. for the first terminal count, which included automated system checks, engine bleeds, and power transitions, pausing at T-1 minute 30 seconds and T-33 seconds before recycling the clock for a second run that concluded the test.

Credit: NASA

This rehearsal followed an earlier attempt where hydrogen leak concentrations exceeded safety limits during the core stage replenish transition, an issue avoided this time as concentrations stayed within allowable levels throughout fueling.

The Artemis II mission, scheduled no earlier than March 6, 2026, will see commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency embark on a 10-day journey orbiting Earth before looping around the Moon in a figure-eight trajectory.

The test confirmed the rocket and spacecraft's readiness for crewed operations at Launch Complex 39B, with teams now analyzing data to finalize launch preparations.

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