An American flag flies in the breeze as NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B after being scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. This is scheduled to be the first flight of NASA's 21st-century moon-exploration program, named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. Credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
NASA's new moon rocket sprung another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit
The first attempt earlier in the week was marred by escaping hydrogen, but those leaks were not on the 322-foot rocket.
Nelson said the launch could be pushed back into October.
The mission managers were going to meet later in the day to make a decision. A two week launch period begins after Tuesday. Nelson said that the flight could be pushed into October due to the extensive leak inspections and repairs.
We're going when it's ready. Nelson said that they don't go until then because they are going to stress it and test it.
He told them to be ready for the scrubs.
Credit: NASA
Before astronauts get on the next flight, NASA wants to push the crew capsule to the limit. If the five-week demo is a success, astronauts could fly around the moon in four years. Fifty years ago, people walked on the moon.
The launch director and her team had barely started loading fuel into the Space Launch System rocket when they noticed a leak in the engine section.
NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B hours ahead of a planned launch at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA's new moon rocket sprang another hazardous leak Saturday, as the launch team began fueling it for liftoff on a test flight that must go well before astronauts climb aboard. Credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP
Ground controllers tried to plug it by stopping and restarting the flow of super-cold liquid hydrogen in hopes of closing the gap around a seal in the supply line. They flushed it through the line. The leak didn't go away.
Three to four hours of futile effort was enough for Blackwell-Thompson to stop the clock.
Hydrogen fuel escaped from the rocket during Monday's attempt. She warned that she wouldn't know if everything was tight until Saturday.
Spectators walk on the Max Brewer Bridge after arriving to view the the NASA Moon Rocket launch from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
The smallest hydrogen molecule is the smallest in existence, and even the smallest gap can provide a way out. The space shuttles were prone to hydrogen leaks. Main engines are used in the new moon rocket.
Engineers verified that one of the rocket's four engines was cold enough after a sensor said it was too warm. The launch team planned to ignore the faulty sensor and use other instruments to make sure the engines were properly chilled. The clock never reached that point.
Mission managers accepted the risk of the engine issue as well as the risk of cracks in the rocket's foam. Fuel leaks could cause another delay.
A Police Officer controls traffic as spectators walk on the Max Brewer Bridge after NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of the NASA Moon Rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B hours ahead of a planned launch at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA's new moon rocket sprang another hazardous leak Saturday, as the launch team began fueling it for liftoff on a test flight that must go well before astronauts climb aboard. Credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP
NASA's new moon rocket is illuminated by xenon lights as she sits on Launch Pad 39-B hours ahead of a planned launch at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. This is scheduled to be the first flight of NASA's 21st-century moon-exploration program, named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. Credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
A person waits for the NASA moon rocket to launch on Pad 39B before the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The NASA moon rocket stands on Pad 39B before the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Photographers pack up their equipment as NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B after being scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. Credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
People wait for the NASA moon rocket to launch on Pad 39B before the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
The NASA moon rocket stands on Pad 39B before the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA’s new moon rocket sprang another dangerous fuel leak Saturday, forcing launch controllers to call off their second attempt to send a crew capsule into lunar orbit with test dummies. Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
People wait for the NASA moon rocket to launch on Pad 39B before the Artemis 1 mission to orbit the moon at the Kennedy Space Center, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The mission was scrubbed on Saturday. Credit: AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
Spectators walk on the Max Brewer Bridge after arriving to view the the NASA Moon Rocket launch from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
Spectators walk near the Max Brewer Bridge after arriving to view the the NASA Moon Rocket launch from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
The countdown clock is stopped as NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B after the launch was scrubbed at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
Spectators walk near the Max Brewer Bridge after NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of the NASA Moon Rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
Spectators walk near the Max Brewer Bridge after NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of the NASA Moon Rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
Spectators walk off the Max Brewer Bridge after NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of the NASA Moon Rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
A Police Officer controls traffic as spectators walk on the Max Brewer Bridge after NASA scrubbed the launch attempt of the NASA Moon Rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center Titusville, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022.Credit: AP Photo/Terry Renna
NASA's new moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B hours ahead of a planned launch at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA's new moon rocket sprang another hazardous leak Saturday, as the launch team began fueling it for liftoff on a test flight that must go well before astronauts climb aboard. Credit: Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP
Thousands of people jammed the coast to watch the rocket fly. Crowds were expected because of the long holiday weekend.
The Artemis program is named after the twin sister of Apollo in Greek mythology.
The last group of astronauts to walk on the moon was in 1972.
Artemis aims to establish a sustained human presence on the moon with crews spending weeks at a time there. It's a training ground for the red planet.
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