NASA delayed the much-anticipated launch of its Space Launch System rocket and uncrewed Orion capsule on Saturday.
Why it matters: NASA is hoping to use this rocket and capsule to one day return people to the surface of the Moon for the first time since the 1970s.
The latest: The space agency decided to call off the launch after a hydrogen leak popped up during fueling that they weren't able to correct in time to get off the pad.
- Mission controllers attempted to fix the leak multiple times, but they weren't able to resolve it.
- It wasn't immediately clear whether NASA would be able to reset to try to launch again in the next few days or if the rocket would need to be rolled back from the pad.
- This delay comes after technical issues scrubbed an earlier launch attempt on Monday.
The big picture: NASA is planning to send people back to the lunar surface in 2025, with multiple SLS launches scheduled between now and then....
- This mission, called Artemis I, is designed to test out systems that will be needed to safely send people to the Moon.
- For this flight, the SLS is expected to send Orion on a journey around the Moon before the capsule comes back in for a landing on Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.