Nasa's final Moon rocket test cancelled due to safety issues

Nasa's SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise before the the Artemis I launch team cancelled the wet dress rehearsal test

Nasa has cancelled an important test of its giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket because of safety issues.

Known as the "wet dress rehearsal," it was due to be the final major test before the Artemis-1 mission this summer - an un-crewed flight to the Moon.

However, a problem with the launch platform meant that a key part - which helps to "keep out hazardous gases" - failed, cancelling the countdown test.

The US space agency hopes to send astronauts back to the Moon by 2026.

Artemis 1, 2 and 3

Astronauts will eventually travel to the Moon in a spacecraft called Orion

It is the latest delay to hit Nasa's plans, which had originally aimed to complete a Moon landing in 2024.

The US team will now try again to complete testing. If it goes to plan next time, the Artemis 1 rocket should do a crewless flyby of the Moon in a mission lasting around 26 days.

In May 2024, the Artemis 2 mission will do the same journey but with a crew inside.

Following that, Artemis 3 will send the first woman and first non-white astronaut to the Moon.

The last time a person landed on the Moon was in 1972.