Overview
- A Feb. 12 partial fill of the SLS core stage delivered materially lower hydrogen leak rates at repaired seals compared with the earlier wet dress rehearsal.
- Engineers traced reduced liquid‑hydrogen flow to a suspected ground‑support filter, with teams purging lines, inspecting hardware, and planning a replacement.
- A second full wet dress rehearsal and a Flight Readiness Review will precede any firm launch date, and NASA has not scheduled the rehearsal yet.
- The earliest viable launch opportunity opens March 6, with additional windows identified in April, pending satisfactory test results.
- The four‑astronaut crew has exited quarantine and will re‑enter about two weeks before the next attempt, as NASA’s administrator emphasizes transparency and plans to redesign propellant‑loading interfaces for future missions.