Artemis launch - as it happened: Nasa delays moon after rocket launch scrubbed

Nasa scrubbed the launch of its Artemis-1 mission on Saturday, 3 September, with around two-and-a-half hours left on the countdown in Cape Canaveral, Florida (Nasa)

Nasa has scrubbed the second attempt to launch its moon rocket after failing to fix a leak, pushing back its Artemis 1 mission by more than a month.

The space agency was aiming to launch its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket as part of the Artemis programme that one day hopes to put humans back onto the lunar surface.

But technical problems once again caused the launch to be postponed, five days after the first attempt was scrubbed.

“A leak developed in the supply side of the 8-inch quick disconnect while attempting to transfer fuel to the rocket,” Nasa said, but is yet to give an update on when a new launch date will be set, though it could be as early as Sunday.

If successful, the spacecraft will launch off Earth and around the Moon, before heading back down to our planet 42 days later. This time, the Orion crew capsule is empty – but if this journey is successful, then a trip with humans on board is to come.

Key points

• Nasa scrubs Artemis launch
• Nasa to hold post-scrub news conference at 4pm ET
• Nasa says next Artemis launch will likely be October

[3 September 2022 19:15 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa confirms line-up for news conference on Artemis 1 scrub

The post-scrub news conference, which should be kicking off in just under two hours, will include Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson, Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development and Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin.

Nasa says there will also be “additional participants to be determined”.

[3 September 2022 19:55 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa Artemis launch scrub: ‘We go when it’s ready’

With just over an hour to go until Nasa’s news conference following the second scrubbed launch attempt of the Artemis 1 mission, here’s everything Bill Nelson had to say about the setback shortly after it was called off.

[3 September 2022 20:40 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa’s Artemis 1 moon mission explained

With the scrub of today’s launch, the five decade wait for the lift-off of a rocket and craft capable of taking people to the Moon continues.

While we wait for Nasa’s news conference - which will hopefully tell us how much longer we’ll need to wait for the launch - here’s a full round-up of the Artemis mission courtesy of The Independent’s Jon Kelvey.

[3 September 2022 21:07 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa news conference delayed

Nasa has pushed back the news conference by 10-15 minutes. Hopefully this delay is not indicative of more delays for the SLS launch. If it is, that could prove disastrous for some of the other missions piggybacking off the massive rocket.

You can read more about that here:

[3 September 2022 21:16 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa news conference for scrubbed Artemis launch pushed back to 16.30 ET (21.30 BST)

Nasa says its post-scrub news conference will now be taking place 30 minutes later than originally scheduled.

[3 September 2022 21:33 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa wasn’t able to troubleshoot issue today

Nasa’s post-scrub news conference is live, with opening comments revealing that troubleshooting has so far been unsuccessful.

You can watch it live here:

[3 September 2022 21:42 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

BREAKING ‘Not launching in this period’

It’s going to be weeks, not days before Nasa tries again.

The hydrogen leaks today have proved too severe to sort out before the next scheduled launch windows over the coming days, so it will likely be mid October before Nasa tries again.

[3 September 2022 21:49 · Anthony Cuthbertson]

Nasa to give new launch update next week

The Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft will likely be rolling back into the vehicle assemble bay, for what would be “several weeks work”.

A proper update will be given next week, when hopefully a more clear schedule for the launch will have been determined.