The countdown for NASA’s next trip around the Moon has shifted from planning to practice, as controllers begin a high‑stakes fueling rehearsal for the Artemis 2 Space Launch System. The wet dress test is designed to push the rocket and ground systems through a full launch‑day script,

Artemis II echoes the Apollo-era missions that paved the way for the first moon landing — and sets the stage for what comes next.

The first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years is on hold as winter weather in Florida forces NASA to push back launch plans for Artemis II. The agency says near-freezing temperatures and strong winds at Kennedy Space Center prompted managers to delay a crucial fueling test — known as the wet dress rehearsal

The cold weather didn’t stop NASA from calling employees to work Saturday night to begin the two-day countdown of a test run for its Artemis II moon mission.

Extreme cold has forced NASA to reschedule its next moon mission. On Saturday, the massive Artemis II rocket stands on launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. Like Apollo 8 in 1968, it won't land on the lunar surface.