NASA Waves Off First Artemis I Launch Attempt

(NATIONAL) The Artemis I launch was scrubbed from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday.

The approximately two-day countdown for launch began Saturday, Aug. 27, and was waved off after encountering an issue getting one of the four RS-25 engines on the bottom of the rocket’s core stage to the proper temperature range for liftoff.

Artemis I is a test flight to launch NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon before the Artemis II mission, which will have astronauts aboard. 

Through Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.

The mission management team will convene Tuesday afternoon to discuss the data and develop a plan forward.  

For the latest updates online, follow along on NASA’s Artemis blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/