NASA, Artemis and countdown
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NASA is preparing for a critical fueling test this week as it moves closer to launching its Artemis II mission around the moon.
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NASA pumps 2.8M liters of fuel in massive Artemis 2 rehearsal
NASA completed a full fueling and simulated countdown of the Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center on February 19, 2026, pumping more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant into the vehicle during the second Artemis II wet dress rehearsal.
Launch teams replaced a pair of seals and a clogged filter at the Kennedy Space Center pad where the giant Moon rocket stands, before starting the countdown clocks back up. The two-day test will culminate on Thursday with the attempted fill-up of the rocket's fuel tanks.