Tourists change plans in hopes of seeing Artemis II launch

NASA is prepping to bring the Artemis II rocket back to the hangar for repairs due to a helium leak discovered after last week’s wet dress rehearsal.

Now, they are eyeing a new launch date as early as April.

This means many people who are in town, or coming to town to watch the launch, are having to change plans.

The Guinn Family hails from Arkansas and the members are visiting the Space Coast on a two-fer.

One, to see Hutson Guinn play baseball at Eastern Florida State College, but also hoping to watch the historic moon launch, where four people will do a flyby mission of Earth’s lunar sister.

Getting a place to stay was a challenge due to hotels being booked for others wanting to see it too.

“Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, all the big ones, not a great selection,” said Kara Guinn.

The launch delay prompted the rocket’s return to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs. NASA officials stated this weekend that a helium flow is the reason behind the recent problems. 

Don Platt, the director of Spaceport Education Center at Florida Tech, agrees with NASA’s decision.

“Try to get it back to the VAB, don’t try to do anything heroic with it at the launch pad. This way, hopefully they can get it back there out there and ready for the April launch window,” Platt said.

Platt recalled his first shuttle launch as a child, visiting with his family in 1982 for STS 4.

“That launch went on the first opportunity scheduled, like two months ahead of time, and that was only the fourth shuttle launch. I got so lucky,” he said.

Not so lucky for the Guinn Family, but they’re not giving up.

“We will be back in April!” Kara Guinn told Spectrum News.

A Space Coast Office of Tourism official stated, “We encourage space fans to be aware that launches can be delayed or scrubbed at any time for many reasons, but the great news is the likelihood of seeing a launch on any Space Coast trip is relatively high due to the ever-increasing launch cadence”.

NASA is set to begin bringing the rocket back Tuesday afternoon — it should take some 12 hours.

Depending on the length and extent of repairs, an April launch window will be on the table.