NASA scrubs Artemis launch due to engine leak

NASA’s new moon rocket remained on the ground Monday, disappointing the throngs of people, including Vice President Kamala Harris and the second gentleman, Douglas Emhoff, who had gathered to watch what had promised to be a thunderous liftoff.

Monday’s launch was to be the debut flight of the Space Launch System, a giant, 322-foot-tall rocket to take astronauts to the moon in the coming years. NASA has additional opportunities to launch next weekend, but that depends on whether there is enough time to diagnose and fix the problem.

The issue that halted Monday’s launch was a liquid hydrogen line that did not adequately chill one of the rocket’s four core-stage engines, part of the preparations needed before ignition.