NASA has been forced to abort plans for a March launch of the Artemis 2 mission to the moon after a technical issue set the project back weeks. The Artemis 2 mission was set to take off in the coming days as the agency planned to send four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

An initial date for launch was set for March 6, although officials announced on Saturday that any hopes for a March take-off have been scrapped. Posting on X, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced that a problem with the helium delivery system has pushed back any hopes of beginning their 10-day journey around the far side of the Moon and back to Earth, within the next two months. Isaacman wrote: “Last evening, the team was unable to get helium flow through the vehicle. This occurred during a routine operation to repressurise the system. We observed a similar failure signature on Artemis I.

“As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration.

“I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA, who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavour. “

The four Artemis II crew members, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch and Victor Glover, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are on standby, ready for a future launch.

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The NASA chief went on to compare the setback with that of the original moon missions more than 50 years ago.

He added: “During the 1960s, when NASA achieved what most thought was impossible, and what has never been repeated since, there were many setbacks. One historic example is that Neil Armstrong spent less than 11 hours in space on Gemini 8 before his mission ended prematurely due to a technical issue. A little over three years later, he became the first man to walk on the Moon.

“There are many differences between the 1960s and today, and expectations should rightfully be high after the time and expense invested in this program.

“I will say again, the President created Artemis as a program that will far surpass what America achieved during Apollo. We will return in the years ahead, we will build a Moon base, and undertake what should be continuous missions to and from the lunar environment. Where we begin with this architecture and flight rate is not where it will end.”