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NASA’s new big moon rocket is returning to the garage for a few minor repairs, possibly delaying its first launch until late summer or later.

That means NASA has given up on trying to complete the wet suit proof for the rocket for now—an elaborate execution of the countdown being called “wet” because it involves loading more than 700,000 gallons of ultra-cold liquid hydrogen and liquids. oxygen to the rocket’s propellant tanks

Last month, the rocket, called the Space Launch System, was testing ground systems on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The tests would culminate in a wet suit rehearsal.

However, three attempts to perform this exercise ended prematurely due to various technical glitches during the countdowns. The purpose of rehearsal with a new rocket system is to detect and correct such problems.

Technicians also discovered that an upper stage valve was faulty, and for the third rehearsal attempt last Thursday, the test was modified so that only booster stage propellant tanks would be filled. However, a hydrogen leak was detected in the hub, called the tail service mast, which was then attached to the bottom of the rocket, and the proof was cleared. The oxygen tank was not half full and the hydrogen fuel had just begun.

Last week, NASA officials said they hoped to fix the hydrogen leak while the rocket was still on the launch pad. But on Monday, they said they’ve changed their minds. Next week, the rocket will be taken back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, where technicians will have easier access to parts of the rocket. This will allow replacement of the balky upper stage valve.

At the same time, an offsite vendor that supplies nitrogen gas used to clean up hazardous gases will upgrade their systems. Interruptions in the nitrogen supply during two rehearsal trials delayed the countdown.

“The mega moon rocket is doing very well,” Tom Whitmeyer, deputy director of joint exploration systems development at NASA, said at a press conference on Monday. “I think we’re getting really smart with this rocket. But we have some more work ahead of us.”

A key component of NASA’s Artemis program to send astronauts back to the moon, the Space Launch System is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. Mr Whitmeyer said with the latest problems, it will be difficult to prepare the rocket in time for launch in a two-week timeframe in early June. There are two additional weeks of deals starting in late June and late July.

“We are currently working with the management team on a few different program options that we will review over the course of the week,” said launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.

One would be to perform the minimum amount of repairs required (upper stage valve and hydrogen leak) and return to the launch pad as soon as possible for wetsuit proofing. A second option would involve some additional work needed to get the rocket ready for launch. Both options will require one more trip to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

A third option would be to get the rocket fully ready for launch and then run both the rehearsal and launch without returning to the building again.