NASA Begins Countdown for Artemis II With Commander Reid Wiseman
NASA began a two-day practice countdown and will fuel its 322-foot rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold propellant ahead of a possible Feb. 8 launch.
ABC NewsNASA begins practice countdown for first moonshot with astronauts in over 50 years
Associated PressNASA begins a practice countdown for its first moonshot with astronauts in more than 50 years
Epoch TimesCold Weather Delays NASA Moon Launch at Least Two Days
ABC NewsNASA delays first Artemis moonshot with astronauts due to extreme cold at launch site
Associated PressNASA delays the first Artemis moonshot with astronauts because of extreme cold at the launch site
Overview
NASA began a two-day practice countdown on Jan. 31, 2026, as teams prepared to fuel the 322-foot (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket, agency officials said.
Teams will fill the rocket's tanks with more than 700,000 gallons of super-cold propellant, stopping about 30 seconds short of engine ignition, a test NASA said will determine the launch timeline.
Commander Reid Wiseman and his three crewmates remained in quarantine in Houston while NASA said heaters and adapted purging systems are protecting the Orion capsule amid an extreme cold spell.
A bitter cold spell delayed the fueling demo by two days and pushed the earliest launch date to Feb. 8, 2026, and NASA said the mission would last nearly 10 days with four astronauts, including U.S. and Canadian crew members.
Mission managers warned any further delays would move the schedule day-for-day and said Feb. 11, 2026, would be the last available launch date in February if slips continue, mission managers said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this story neutrally: they prioritize factual details about the countdown, fueling test, crew quarantine and timeline, use plain technical language (rocket height, fuel volume, dates), and include historical context (Apollo missions). There are no loaded terms, advocacy, or omitted viewpoints that would shape a partisan narrative.