NASA Delays Artemis II "Wet Dress Rehearsal" Due to Freezing Temperatures
NASA postponed the "wet dress rehearsal" for the Artemis II mission due to freezing temperatures at the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to NPR News on February 1, 2026. The fueling phase of the prelaunch testing, which is critical for the mission that will send four astronauts around the moon, was set to begin on Monday.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft are currently at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, awaiting the commencement of testing, NPR News reported. This "wet dress rehearsal" is a crucial step in preparing the spacecraft for its journey.
In other news, in Vicuña, Chile, researchers at the Initihuasi Seed Bank are working to preserve biodiversity by freezing seeds to protect plants in the world's driest desert, according to NPR Politics on February 1, 2026. Ana Sandoval, a researcher at the seed bank, is dedicated to nurturing the future with a pot of shooting seeds.
Meanwhile, Terrence O'Brien of The Verge recommended M83's sophomore record, "Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts," as an appropriate soundtrack for snowy weather. O'Brien noted that before M83 evolved into an 80s-inspired pop project, the band shared more similarities with Mogwai.
Ars Technica highlighted a range of scientific stories that almost went unnoticed in January, including evidence that humans, not glaciers, transported the stones to build Stonehenge from Wales and northern Scotland.
Wired explored the physics behind escaping from a carved-out ice bowl, presenting three possible escape plans with animations to illustrate how they work.
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