NASA investigates potential battery issue ahead of lunar launch

Engineers are working to determine whether the issue was with a sensor or a battery itself, after one of the two batteries for the launch abort system was "out of temperature range."

Published: April 1, 2026 6:02pm

NASA engineers are reportedly investigating a possible battery issue Wednesday evening, as the space agency counts down toward its first lunar mission in over 50 years.

The possible battery issue is related to Orion capsule's launch abort system, which could cause problems during the final minutes of the countdown, when a computer takes control of the Space Launch System rocket, according to NBC News. 

Engineers are working to determine whether the issue was with a sensor or a battery itself, after one of the two batteries for the launch abort system was "out of temperature range."

The issue comes as four astronauts prepare for NASA's Artemis II lunar mission, which marks the first time in more than 50 years that NASA astronauts have left Earth’s orbit to embark on the roughly 685,000-mile journey aboard the Orion capsule and slingshot back for the return home. 

The spacecraft is expected to launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 6:24 p.m. Eastern, and a livestream of the launch can be viewed here.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

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