Artemis I launch updates: launch scrubbed after reoccurring liquid hydrogen leak

NASA engineers said they will stop the flowing liquid hydrogen into the tank after they detected the reoccurrence of a leak Saturday. They will close the valve used to fill and drain it, then increase pressure on a ground transfer line using helium to try to reseal it.

A leak reoccured as engineers increased the pressure on the flow of liquid hydrogen into the core stage, NASA said.

Engineers will attempt to reseat the seal in the quick disconnect cavity where the leak was detected. The flow of liquid oxygen to the core stage will continue, NASA said.

Launch control gave an order for fuel loading operations for Artemis I to begin Saturday morning, ahead of the scheduled launch window.

Over the next few hours 760,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and oxygen will be loaded into the Space Launch System (SLS) tank.

Engineers detected a liquid hydrogen leak in a quick disconnect cavity and stopped flowing the propellant to the core stage while they troubleshot, NASA had said earlier.

Launch controllers have resumed the flow of liquid hydrogen to the core stage.

-ABC News' Gina Sunseri

NASA officials announced Friday that Artemis I is still on track to launch Saturday afternoon between 2:17 p.m. ET and 4:17 p.m. ET.

Jeremy Parsons, deputy manager of exploration ground systems at the Kennedy Space Center, said pre-launch tests and checks are "proceeding right on schedule."

Melody Lovin, launch weather officer at the U.S. Space Force, said the weather forecast is currently a 60% go overall and 80% toward the end of the two-hour window, If the launch needs to be delayed until Monday, the forecast is a 70% go.

"I do not expect weather to be a showstopper by any means for either launch window," she said.

The Artemis I launch attempt is still planned for Saturday from 2:17-4:17 p.m. ET, NASA officials said during a press conference Thursday.

"We're comfortable with our risk posture," Artemis mission manager Mike Serafin said. "That said, there's no guarantee that we're going to get off on Saturday, but we're going to try."

If not Saturday, the next launch attempt would be Monday from 5:12 p.m.-6:42 p.m. ET, officials said. Tuesday could also be an option, after which the next earliest launch attempt would be Sept. 19, Serafin said.

Sunday is no longer a backup option because the spacecraft would fly into an eclipse scenario, which would not allow it to get the power it needs from the sun.

If the launch is Saturday, the mission will be 37 days long, with the splashdown on Oct. 11, Serafin said.

-ABC News' Gio Benitez and Meredith Deliso