NASA’s Artemis II fuel test succeeded with minimal leaks, advancing the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972.

NASA successfully completed its second fueling test for the Artemis II mission, pumping over 700,000 gallons of supercold rocket fuel into the SLS rocket with minimal hydrogen leakage—well within safety limits—after a prior test was halted by significant leaks. Engineers replaced seals and a clogged filter to fix the issue, boosting confidence in the rocket’s readiness. The four-astronaut crew, including U.S. and Canadian astronauts, began a two-week quarantine to maintain launch flexibility. The mission, targeted for March, will mark the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo 17 in 1972, though it will not land on the moon. Data from the test is being analyzed to confirm if the launch window remains viable.