NASA’s High-Stakes Rehearsal: The Final Hurdle for Artemis II

NASA is back on the launchpad today, February 19, 2026, for its second attempt at a “wet dress rehearsal.” This critical propellant loading test is the final gatekeeper standing between the Artemis II crew and their historic journey to lunar orbit.

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After a previous attempt was cut short by hydrogen leaks and a faulty filter, engineers have spent the last two weeks “buttoning up” the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Today’s test is less about the hardware and more about the integration of human and machine under the pressure of a ticking clock.

The Current Status

Teams at Kennedy Space Center have begun the delicate process of pumping 700,000 gallons of super-cooled propellant into the SLS.

• Progress: Fueling is currently underway. Despite a brief hiccup with ground-to-rocket communications earlier today, the team successfully switched to redundant channels and is proceeding with liquid oxygen loading.
• The “Target”: The mission is considered a success if the countdown reaches T-33 seconds—the point just before the massive RS-25 engines would normally ignite.
• The “Recycle”: NASA plans to practice a “scrub” and restart, proving they can quickly reset the rocket if a real launch attempt is delayed at the last minute.

Launch Windows: Looking Toward March

NASA leadership is holding steady on a “data-first” approach. However, if the tanks remain pressurized and the valves behave today, we are looking at the following timeline:

Event	Expected Date
Test Completion	Late tonight, Feb 19
Official Launch Date Announcement	Expected Feb 20 or 21
Earliest Possible Launch	March 6, 2026

Why This Matters

This isn’t just a practice run; it’s a safety check for the four astronauts—Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen—who will be the first humans to see the far side of the Moon in over half a century. A “clean” test today means a flight-ready rocket by next month.