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NASA had just announced a flawless wet dress rehearsal and possible early March liftoff of its long-awaitedArtemis II mission, but all that changed in less than 24 hours.

A closer look at thegiant SLS moon rocketrevealed a new issue – one that will likelyfurther delay the launchand will now require NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

An earlySaturday Feb. 21 NASA blog updatereported that overnight data showed an interruption in the flow of helium into theSLS's interim cryogenic propulsion stage.

"We will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration," NASA Administrator Jared Isaacmanwrote on X. The next launch opportunity opens on April 1.

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The announcement came just a day after the four astronauts, who are set to fly around the moon, entered quarantine in Houston in preparation for an early March liftoff. The rocket had just seen what appeared to bea successful wet dress rehearsal test, which included running through launch day operations and fueling the rocket up to T-29 seconds. NASA stated this week's fueling test showed no evidence of leaks, after ahydrogen leakearlier this month caused the prelaunch wet dress test to be repeated.

A similar issue was also observed during preparation for Artemis I.

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"Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature," Isaacman wrote on X. "It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed. It could also be a failed check valve onboard the vehicle, which would be consistent with Artemis I, though corrective actions were taken to minimize reoccurrence on Artemis II."

All of these issues require the rocket to be rolled back to the VAB.

"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 endeavor," Isaacman wrote. "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."

The last time an SLS rocket flew was during the Nov. 2022 uncrewed Artemis I mission.

The available April launch dates include the 1st through the 6th of the month.

This story has been updated with new information.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her atbedwards@floridatoday.comor on X:@brookeofstars.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NASA's SLS rocket issue could delay Artemis II launch, cause rollback

BEIRUT (AP) — TheIslamic State grouphas blasted Syria's interim president calling him a "puppet without a soul" controlled by Western countries, adding that his fate eventually will be similar to that of ousted leader Bashar Assad.

In an audio message released late Saturday by the group's spokesman, who identifies himself as Abu Musab al-Furati, he called on IS followers around the world to attack Jewish and Western targets as they have in past years.

Al-Furati sent greetings to IS fighters from the group's leaderAbu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshiwho was named as the head of the group three years ago.

The audio is the first to be released by the group in months and comes after IS was blamed for attacks that left dozens dead or wounded in recent months inSyria, Iraq,Pakistanand other parts of the world.

In December, the group was blamed for an attack in central Syria thatleft three Americansdead and triggered intense U.S. airstrikes on the extremists' suspected hideouts in the country.

Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, IS sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries, where they once declared a caliphate.

The U.N. chief said earlier this month in a reporton threats posed by ISthat Syria's president, interior minister and foreign minister were the targets of five foiled assassination attempts last year.

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In December 2024, insurgents led by now interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, marched to Damascus andremoved then-President Bashar Assadfrom power, striking a severe blow to Iran's influence in the war-torn country. Assad belonged to the minority Alawite sect in the predominantly Sunni Muslim country.

Since then, al-Sharaa, a former leader of al-Qaida's branch in Syria, has improved his relations with Western countries and last year becamethe first Syrian head of stateto visit Washington since Syria's independence in 1946.

Al-Furati said that Iran and Assad in Syria were replaced "with a regime that is subjected to American influence."

"Syria today is ruled by the Crusaders after they placed a leader who is a puppet without a soul," al-Furati said. He vowed new attacks in the country saying that "Syria has entered a new era of defense and the convoys of jihad will eventually march in Syria."

The audio, which is supposed to mark the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan did not mention the transfer of 5,704 suspectedIS detaineesfrom prisons in northeast Syria to Iraq in recent weeks. Al-Furati only said that everyone is scared of the detainees whom the Americans, Shiites and Kurdish fighters are doing all they can to make sure they don't escape.

Al-Furati also did not mentional-Hol campthat used to house more than 24,000 people, mostly women and children linked to IS, that is now almost empty after government forces took control of it last month from the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

He acknowledged that IS lost fighters over the past two years because of attacks by the U.S.-led coalition against IS. The Syrian government officially joined the coalition in November.

Separateavalanches in Utahthis week killed an 11-year-old girl near a ski resort and a father who was snowmobiling with his son in the backcountry, marking the state's first two snowslide fatalities of the season.

The child, identified as Madelyn Eitas from Rochester, Massachusetts, was backcountry skiing with her family near the Brighton Ski Resort on Thursday, when she was buried in the slide, FOX13 Salt Lake Cityreported, citing officials.

Eitas and her family had gone into an out-of-bounds area known as The Rock Garden when they were caught in the avalanche, the officials said. She had reportedly been buried for up to 30 minutes when search and rescue teams arrived.

Rescuers provided first aid before an ambulance rushed her to a hospital. The Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake said Eitas later died of her injuries, the outlet reported.

Video Shows Terrifying Moment Avalanche Slams Into Passenger Train Near Ski Resort

"It's a very, very solemn and depressing thing to notify people of," Unified Police Det. Quin Wilkins told the station.

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The child's death came a day after another avalanche in Wasatch County killed a father.

The father was snowmobiling with his juvenile son in the Snake Creek area west of Midway when the slide buried him, theWasatch County Sheriff's Officesaid. First responders, however, were unable to immediately reach the scene due to hazardous conditions.

The son was able to use an avalanche beacon to find his father and dig him out of the snow, according to officials. Despite the son's efforts, his father died at the scene.

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"The Wasatch County Sheriff's Office extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and all those affected by this tragic incident," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "We also recognize the courageous efforts of the juvenile involved and the responding personnel who assisted in this difficult situation. Our thoughts are with all those impacted."

California Avalanche That Killed 8 Is Deadliest In State History

Officials have warned the public to stay away from the backcountry this weekend following the two avalanche deaths.

"Conditions on the mountain are as bad as they have been all winter!" Wasatch Search and Rescue commander Kam Kohler told FOX13. "The deepest, softest snow is the most treacherous right now. It's really, for most places, a no-go!"

Salt Lake CountySheriff Rosie Rivera echoed concerns about dangerous conditions.

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"This winter has created layers within the snowpack that can be unpredictable," Rivera said in a statement. "We want people to enjoy the Cottonwood Canyons, but safety must come first. When conditions are unstable, the smartest decision may be to avoid backcountry recreation altogether."

The deaths in Utah happened in the same week that an avalanche in Northern California killed eight skiers, includingsix mothers taking a triptogether, near Lake Tahoe. Six other skiers in the group were rescued, while one additional person was presumed dead.

Original article source:Avalanches in Utah kill 11-year-old girl, father snowmobiling with son in state's first 2 fatalities of season