moon

Artemis 2 is a precursor to the US space agency’s planned astronaut moon landing with Artemis III scheduled for 2028.

NASA chief Jared Isaacman says Artemis 2 – the first crewed flyby mission to the moon in more than 50 years – will not launch next month because of technical problems.

Workers detected an issue with helium flow to the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will “take the March launch window out of consideration”, Issacman said in a post on social media Saturday.

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Solid helium flow is essential for purging the rocket’s engines and pressurising its fuel tanks.

“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 said.

NASA’s next opportunity for the launch would be at the beginning or end of April.

The US space agency hopes to put humans back on the moon as China forges ahead with a rival effort that is targeting 2030 at the latest for its first crewed mission.

China’s uncrewed Chang’e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the moon’s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.

Multiple postponements

NASA surprised many late last year when it said Artemis 2 could happen as soon as February – an acceleration explained by the administration of US President Donald Trump’s wish to beat China to the punch.

But the programme has been plagued by delays. The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place in November 2022 after multiple postponements and two failed launch attempts.

Then, technical problems in early February – which included a liquid hydrogen leak – cut short a so-called wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 launch. That was finally completed earlier this week.

The wet dress rehearsal was conducted under real conditions – with full rocket tanks and technical checks – at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with engineers practising the manoeuvres needed to carry out an actual launch.

The space agency revealed the latest technical problem just one day after targeting March 6 for the launch of the Artemis 2 mission.

The towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to investigate the technical issues and make any necessary repairs, Isaacman said. He said a bad filter, valve, or connection plate could be to blame for the stalled helium flow.

Isaacman added that a complete briefing will follow in the coming days.

The goal of the Artemis 2 mission, a 10-day flight around the moon and back, is to “explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars”, according to NASA.

The planned Artemis 2 crew includes three US astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is poised to be the farthest human flight into space ever, and the first crewed moon mission since the US Apollo programme more than half a century ago.

Artemis 2 is a precursor to NASA’s planned astronaut moon landing with Artemis 3, which is scheduled for 2028.

The first day of fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia will be either Wednesday, February 18 or Thursday, February 19, depending on the sighting of the new moon.

Other countries follow their own moon sightings. Some use astronomical calculations for lunar phases, while others rely on traditional local sightings to confirm the start of the new month.

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Ramadan is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the sighting of the crescent moon. Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries rely on the testimonies of moon sighters to determine the start of the month.

How is the Ramadan moon sighted?

For the moon to be visible, the crescent must set after the sun. This allows the sky to be dark enough to spot the small sliver of the new moon.

After the sun sets on the night of February 17, the 29th day of the month of Shaban in the Hijri calendar, moon sighters face west with a clear view of the horizon for a first glimpse of the crescent moon.

If the moon is sighted, the month of Ramadan begins, with the first day of fasting being February 18. Otherwise, Shaban will complete 30 days, and the first fasting day will be February 19.

In Saudi Arabia, testimonies of people who have spotted the moon are recorded, and the Supreme Court makes a decision on when Ramadan should begin.

In order to view the moon at sunset time, there are three important factors astronomers look for:

Elongation: The moon needs to be far enough from the sun to ensure its light is not drowned out. For a reliable naked-eye sighting, the moon must be 10-12 degrees away from the sun. If it is closer than 7 degrees, then the crescent may be physically too thin to reflect enough light for the human eye to see.

Altitude: The higher the moon is at sunset, the less it has to compete with the thick, hazy atmosphere and the glow of the sky near the horizon. An altitude of 10 degrees is typically sufficient for clear naked-eye visibility, while lower altitudes of 3 to 5 degrees may be adequate with the help of optical aids.

Lag time: This is the time between sunset and moonset. For reliable naked-eye viewing, there usually needs to be at least 45 minutes for the sky to darken enough to see the moon. Longer durations are even better.

When does Ramadan begin in different countries?

According to Crescent Moon Watch, a moon tracker run by the United Kingdom’s Nautical Almanac Office, Ramadan’s new moon will begin on February 17 at 3:01pm Mecca time (12:01 GMT).

On that night in Mecca, the sun will set at 6:19pm (15:19 GMT), and the moon will be visible for only three minutes, setting at 6:22pm (15:22 GMT). With the new moon only three hours and 18 minutes old, it is very unlikely that anyone across the globe will see the crescent moon that evening, meaning the first day of Ramadan will begin on February 19.

On the evening of February 18, the new moon should be visible in most parts of the world. By that time, the moon will be nearly 26 hours old. It will be higher in the sky and remain visible for much longer after sunset, making it easily observable to the public.

North America

The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), both of which follow astronomical calculations, have officially announced that Ramadan will begin on February 18, 2026. Their calculations state that, at sunset somewhere on the globe, the elongation of the moon should be at least 8 degrees, and the moon must be at least 5 degrees above the horizon for it to be visible.

Europe

The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) has declared that Thursday, February 19, will be the first day of Ramadan. ECFR notes that while the astronomical birth of the moon occurs on Tuesday, it will be impossible to see that evening either with the naked eye or through telescopes and observational instruments. Turkiye has also declared February 19 as the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, for the same reasons.

Middle East

Most Middle Eastern nations, led by Saudi Arabia, will not make a final announcement until the evening of Tuesday, February 17. If the Saudi Supreme Court receives a testimony of a sighting on Tuesday night, it may declare Wednesday as the first day of Ramadan. But this is very unlikely for the reasons mentioned above.

Asia

Across Asia, the start of Ramadan 2026 will most likely be Thursday, February 19, as the moon will set before the sun in that part of the world on Tuesday night.

Singapore has officially confirmed the start of Ramadan to be on Thursday, while countries in South Asia including India and Pakistan have forecast Thursday, February 19 as the first day of fasting.

Africa

In Africa, the start of Ramadan follows a similar pattern to the rest of the world, with most countries anticipating it to begin on Thursday, February 19.

Oceania

The Australian National Imams Council have announced that Ramadan will commence on February 19.

Why is Ramadan holy for Muslims, and what is the significance?

Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad nearly 1,450 years ago.

Throughout the month, observing Muslims fast from just before the sunrise prayer, Fajr, to the sunset prayer, Maghrib.

The fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual relations to achieve greater “taqwa”, or consciousness of God.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, along with the Muslim declaration of faith, daily prayers, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca if physically and financially capable.

In many Muslim-majority countries, working hours are reduced, and most restaurants are closed during the fasting hours.

Ramadan greetings in different languages

Various Muslim-majority nations have a personalised greeting in their native languages. “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem” are common greetings exchanged over the month, wishing the recipient a blessed and generous month, respectively.

EastEnders sees Jake Moon back in Walford next week in scenes with his stunned cousin Alfie Moon, which our soap expert says is ‘crucial’ for both the characters and fans

A familiar face returns home on EastEnders next week, as Jake Moon is reunited with his cousin Alfie Moon.

Fans will remember the character was killed off, or so it seemed, back in 2006. In a case of mistaken identity, or at least a misunderstanding, he was tracked down and seemingly killed.

So imagine the shock on fans’ faces in 2024 when he suddenly returned to Walford, very briefly, with his former flame, and current flame, Chrissie Watts. Jake never died, and despite his family being left to think he was dead he was very much alive.

Spoilers for next week have now confirmed he’s back in Walford, and he finally reunites with Alfie who is under the impression his cousin died 20 years ago. Our soap expert revealed fans can expect “emotional” scenes, and a “crucial” moment that has been a long time coming.

READ MORE: Coronation Street return news leaves fans thrilled as they ‘rumble’ huge changeREAD MORE: Coronation Street to kill off iconic character after 37 years in sad twist

They shared: “It’s a huge moment for fans, but also for Jake and Alfie. It’s a crucial moment that has been a long time coming, and is something both the characters and viewers deserve.

“The mystery about Jake’s fate and for him to then return two years ago with no scenes with Alfie, no closure, was a slight injustice that will finally be corrected. They haven’t seen each other in so long, and Alfie thought his cousin was dead.

“To learn he’s alive and doing well is a great relief to Alfie, and it paves the way for some emotional scenes for them.” His return comes about after he visits Zoe Slater in prison, desperate for answers about what happened with her and Chrissie at Christmas.

He’s not sure he can stay with Chrissie having found out what she’s done, calling time on their romance. Our insider teased Zoe’s words to Jake could shock him.

They said: “The last person Zoe’s expecting to see is Jake Moon. She’s been stopping Kat from tracking down Chrissie out of fear that it could land Jasmine in trouble.

“So when Jake shows up and demands answers about Christmas, Zoe’s forced to decide whether to give him the true events or send him packing. What she has to say leaves Jake reeling, and with a decision to make.”

Jake’s soon catching up with Phil Mitchell too. Fans may recall that Jake accidentally killed his brother Danny Moon who was about to murder Grant and Phil on the orders of Johnny Allen, just like he killed Dennis Rickman.

As he tries to lay the ghosts of his past to rest, Jake comes face-to-face with Phil who offers him guidance about Chrissie. Our expert said of the moment: “Phil has guidance for Jake, and soon he comes to a huge decision that could change everything.

“Whether Chrissie will return to Walford again given what’s happened there, especially at Christmas, remains to be seen. Jake and Kat unite, hoping she will show her face and that it could help Zoe.”

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NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, with the Orion spacecraft perched on top, stands on Complex 39B early Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as a wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis II mission around the moon gets started. The mission will launch no earlier than February 8. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo

Feb. 1 (UPI) — After adjusting its timeline for the last remaining tests of the Artemis II space launch system and Orion capsule because of freezing cold temperatures in Florida, NASA is now pressing ahead in preparation for its launch to the moon.

NASA had planned to start the fueling phase of the wet dress rehearsal for the rocket’s launch cadence on Saturday night, but a blast of Arctic air reached all the way down to Kennedy Space Center in Florida making it too cold to load propellants into the ship’s fuel tanks.

As a result, the fueling tests were pushed back to Monday — and launch will now happen no earlier than Feb. 8 — as the agency held off on powering up the SLS rocket’s core stage until Sunday morning.

“NASA continues to press ahead through the countdown for the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal,” NASA said in a statement. “Teams monitored all systems throughout the overnight hours [Saturday] during cold temperatures and high winds.”

The wet dress rehearsal is a test of the full launch team and the series of complex steps involved in a space launch, which includes engineers in Florida, at Mission Control at Johnson Space Center in Houston and at other NASA facilities.

The tanking phase of the wet dress rehearsal involves loading more than 700,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, as will happen before the actual launch.

The test involves filling, topping off and replenishing the tanks over a series of loading milestones.

Engineers also will start preparing to charge the Orion space capsule’s flight batteries and the core stage battery, in addition finishing preparations of the umbilical arms and a walk down at the launch pad, NASA said.

Tanking operations require an overall outdoor temperature above 41 degrees, and cannot dip below 40 for more than 30 consecutive minutes, during both the rehearsal and actual launch.

The full wet dress rehearsal is a complete countdown simulation — the wet dress countdown started Sunday at minus-39 hours and 30 minutes — and will end with a simulated launch window on Monday around 9:00 p.m. EST, NASA said.

Artemis II’s launch window is currently set for Feb. 8 to Feb. 11, but NASA has previously said that if the rocket is not ready to launch next week that additional launch windows in March and April have been identified.