NASA delays Artemis II Moon mission amid Arctic cold, rules out early Feb launch windows

(FILES) NASA's Artemis II Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 17, 2026, ahead of the crewed lunar mission. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP)

NASA has revised the timeline for its Artemis II mission after extreme winter weather in Florida forced the agency to postpone several critical pre-launch activities.

An unusual Arctic cold wave has swept across Florida’s space coast, bringing freezing temperatures and strong winds to the Kennedy Space Center. The conditions have raised concerns about the safety of key flight hardware, including the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft, both of which are vulnerable to prolonged exposure to extreme cold.

Engineers have shifted focus to protecting the spacecraft and rocket, deploying heaters and environmental control systems to prevent damage. Florida rarely experiences such weather, but the current cold snap has created risks significant enough to disrupt launch preparations.

Because of the conditions, NASA has delayed the mission’s wet dress rehearsal, a crucial test that involves loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket. Agency officials said carrying out the operation during freezing temperatures would breach safety guidelines meant to protect both equipment and ground crews.

Rather than risk complications, NASA has decided to wait for more favourable weather before proceeding with the rehearsal.

The wet dress rehearsal, originally scheduled for this weekend, has now been pushed to February 2. The test is the final full-scale run-through of launch day procedures and represents the last major technical milestone before astronauts are cleared for flight.

With the rehearsal delayed, NASA has also ruled out the previously planned launch opportunities of February 6 and 7, pushing the earliest possible liftoff of the crewed Moon mission further into the month.