Artemis I Mission: NASA targeting end of September for third Artemis I launch attempt

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - When will NASA attempt to launch its Artemis I moon rocket? At a Thursday teleconference, NASA officials said they were targeting Sept. 23 or Sept. 27, and potentially a third date, but cautioned that the dates have to still be confirmed, and depends on the repairs that need to be made to address hydrogen leaks.

It will be the third attempt to launch Artemis I, after the first two attempts were scrubbed due to various technical issues, including hydrogen leaks.

Earlier this week, officials said they were continuing to review options for their next launch opportunity, and that they planned to "replace the seal on an interface, called the quick disconnect, between the liquid hydrogen fuel feed line on the mobile launcher and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket while at the launch pad."

What is unknown is whether or not the rocket will have to be moved back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, which is a length process on its own, and could further delay when NASA intends to attempt the launch again. 

"Performing the work at the pad requires technicians to set up an enclosure around the work area to protect the hardware from the weather and other environmental conditions, but enables engineers to test the repair under cryogenic, or supercold, conditions. Performing the work at the pad also allows teams to gather as much data as possible to understand the cause of the issue."