• Nasa's Artemis II mission launch targeted for March faces delays.
• Helium flow issue requires the spacecraft to return to hangars for troubleshooting.
• Launch is now expected to occur in early April instead of March.
• The mission aims to test the Orion crew capsule on a flight around the moon.
• Hydrogen fuel leaks had previously delayed preparations for this mission.

Nasa's Artemis II moon rocket has encountered a new setback that is likely to delay the launch from March into early April. The space agency confirmed that helium flow to the rocket’s upper stage was interrupted, which is crucial for purging engines and pressurizing fuel tanks. This development comes less than a week after Nasa aimed for a March 6 launch, prioritizing humanity’s return to the moon for the first time in over half a century, according to SCMP and CBS News.

The issue with the helium is separate from previous hydrogen fuel leaks that caused delays during a countdown rehearsal of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Nasa's administrator mentioned that potential causes for the helium interruption include a faulty filter, valve, or connection plate. Due to the nature of the problem, the solution can only be executed in the Vehicle Assembly Building, which necessitates rolling the rocket back from its launch pad for troubleshooting, according to Los Angeles Times and CBS News.

Nasa intends to begin preparations for the rollback. This circumstance will push the mission timeline, with launch opportunities now revised to dates in early April. The Artemis II mission is designed to send four astronauts on a flight around the moon, marking an important step towards future lunar exploration, as stated by SCMP and Los Angeles Times.

This news comes on the heels of a second fueling test in which Nasa successfully loaded over 750,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel into the SLS rocket. The astronauts for the mission had already entered a pre-flight quarantine, but they will now have to wait for the resolution of these technical difficulties. “I understand people are disappointed by this development,” Isaacman said, expressing the sentiments of both the astronauts and Nasa's dedicated teams, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.