BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA has adjusted the schedule for a key prelaunch test ahead of the Artemis II mission.
The space agency announced Friday that it is postponing the wet dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center due to unusually cold and windy conditions expected across Florida this weekend. The test, originally planned for Saturday, has been rescheduled for Monday.
In a news release, NASA said engineers had been closely tracking the forecast for several days before deciding to delay the test.
“Managers assessed hardware capabilities against the projected weather conditions associated with a rare arctic outbreak affecting the state and determined it was necessary to adjust the timeline,” the agency said.
As a result of the delay, the earliest possible launch date for Artemis II is now Feb. 8.
The Artemis II rocket is currently positioned on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. During the wet dress rehearsal — a critical milestone before launch — ground crews will fully fuel the rocket and conduct a countdown to a simulated liftoff scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.
If the test proceeds successfully, NASA could move forward with setting an official launch date.
NASA enforces strict weather guidelines for Artemis missions, including limits on lightning, hail, wind, and temperature. According to the agency’s criteria, a launch or test is prohibited if temperatures at specific heights on the launch tower remain below set thresholds for 30 consecutive minutes. Those limits range from 38 to 49 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on wind speed and humidity.
The Artemis program is designed to return humans to the Moon. Artemis II will send a four-person crew on a 10-day mission around the Moon, marking the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years.
The Artemis II crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The crew is currently in quarantine at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA said Friday that the astronauts will remain in quarantine as managers continue to evaluate the updated timeline for their arrival in Florida.