NASA conducted a news conference on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to discuss initial findings from the recently completed Artemis II wet dress rehearsal test. Participants included:

Biomedical research to keep crews healthy and CubeSat deployments for educational research topped the science schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday. The Expedition 74 crew also focused on cargo swaps and life support maintenance throughout the day.

A full moon is seen shining over NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft, atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the early hours of February 1, 2026. The agency…

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 9:08 a.m. ET on Feb. 3. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.  Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar…

Rapid advances in commercial space, artificial intelligence, and edge computing are transforming what is possible for Earth observation. By pushing more intelligence onboard, missions can move from passively collecting data to actively interpreting and responding to changing surface conditions in…

During Artemis II, four astronauts will see the lunar surface as few humans have—and possibly, parts of the Moon’s far side that no one has seen before. Learn what lunar science questions NASA hopes to answer through the astronauts' eyes…

NASA concluded a wet dress rehearsal for the agency’s Artemis II test flight early Tuesday morning, successfully loading cryogenic propellant into the SLS (Space Launch System) tanks, sending a team out to the launch pad to closeout Orion, and safely draining the…

The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown was terminated at the T-5:15 minute mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, which had experienced high concentrations of liquid hydrogen earlier in the…

NASA teams officially entered the final 10 minutes of today’s Artemis II wet dress rehearsal countdown known as terminal count after Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA’s Artemis launch director, gave the “go” to proceed.   During terminal count, automated systems take control of countdown operations, final…

Icebreakers play a critical role in delivering supplies to America’s largest research base in Antarctica.

NASA’s Artemis II closeout crew has completed its critical tasks and departed NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B during the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal.   The departure of the closeout crew marks the transition to the final countdown phase, ensuring the launch pad…

NASA teams completed closing the launch abort system hatch during the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, simulating final launch day procedures. The launch abort system hatch provides access to the Orion crew module through the outer aeroshell of the launch abort system…

The Artemis II wet dress rehearsal entered the T-10 minute hold in the simulated countdown at 8:50 p.m. EST. Though it had been counting down to the opening of a simulated launch window at 9 p.m. EST Monday, Feb. 2,…

As part of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, NASA teams are performing final preparations and closure of the Orion crew module hatch inside the White Room at Launch Pad 39B. This step simulates launch day procedures, ensuring the spacecraft…

As part of the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal, NASA’s Artemis II closeout crew and pad rescue team are en route to Launch Pad 39B. The closeout crew will head to the White Room inside the crew access arm on…

NASA teams have transitioned all cryogenic tanks on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket to replenish mode during the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal. This includes both liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks for the core stage and the interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Engineers continue…

NASA astronaut Chris Williams will connect with students in Pennsylvania to answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions while aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 12:20 p.m. EST Thursday, Feb. 5, and will…

Following the vent and relief test on the interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) liquid hydrogen tank, NASA teams have entered the topping phase of fueling liquid hydrogen. The vent and relief test verifies that the vent and relief valves operate correctly to maintain…

Fueling of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is proceeding on all fronts, following earlier pauses on liquid hydrogen flows. Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen in the core stage are in the replenish phase. Liquid oxygen has also reached the…

NASA teams have completed filling the core stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with liquid hydrogen and transitioned to topping mode. Topping ensures the tank reaches its full capacity with super-cold liquid hydrogen chilled to minus 423 degrees…

Editor’s note: This blog post was updated at 4:09 p.m. EST on Feb. 2, 2026, to correct the status of liquid hydrogen operations at the time of posting. Ground teams have resumed loading liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage…

The Expedition 74 crew kicked off the week with SpaceX Dragon spacecraft preparations and science hardware maintenance ensuring research continues providing pristine results aboard the International Space Station.

After teams temporarily resumed fast fill of liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage, initial steps to correct the leak proved unsuccessful. The leak rate at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical continued to exceed the allowable limits.…

Teams have started chilling down the lines used to feed liquid oxygen into the upper stage. Troubleshooting of liquid hydrogen loading into the core stage continues. 

Teams have stopped the flow of liquid hydrogen through the tail service mast umbilical interface into the core stage after leak concentrations exceeded allowable limits. Stopping the flow allows engineers to perform troubleshooting procedures that were developed after Artemis I.…