NASA postpones decision on rolling Artemis I back to the Vehicle Assembly Building due to Tropical Storm Ian

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Rocket shuttle launch delay 'familiar territory' for NASA: Smithsonian's Teasel Muir-Harmony

Smithsonian Institute's Teasel Muir-Harmony says it makes sense to delay the Artemis I launch until NASA is confident it will be a success.

NASA says it is holding off a decision on whether to launch Artemis I on Tuesday as preparations for a possible rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building continue. 

Planners suggested on Saturday that they were pulling the plug on the launch attempt of its Artemis I mission to the moon from Kennedy Space Center because of weather forecasts associated with Tropical Storm Ian.  

FILE: NASA's Artemis I rocket sits on launch pad 39-B at Kennedy Space Center on September 02, 2022, in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

But on Sunday, NASA said they would hold off a little longer on making that decision as weather forecasts hinted at more favorable conditions for a launch. 

In a statement, NASA said the latest information indicated a "slower moving and potentially more westerly track of the storm than yesterday’s predictions showed, providing more time for the agency’s decision-making process and for employees to prioritize their families should the storm impact the Kennedy Space Center area." 

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NASA managers will meet Sunday evening to evaluate whether to roll back or remain at the launch pad to preserve an opportunity for a launch attempt next week. 

NASA said the exact time of a potential rollback could occur Monday or very early Tuesday morning and would ultimately depend on future weather predictions. 

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is on the launchpad.  (NASA)

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The spacecraft is scheduled to travel to the Moon, deploy some small satellites and then settle into orbit. NASA aims to practice operating the spacecraft, test the conditions crews will experience on and around the Moon, and assure everyone that the spacecraft and any occupants can safely return to Earth.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.