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If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Masculine.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

MANLY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Pizzazz.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 23, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FLAIR

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To wed.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 23, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MARRY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Bummer.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DOOZY

Final Hurdle hint

Corn.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

MAIZE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

It's almost a new lunar phase, and with each night the Moon appears bigger and brighter in our sky. So, naturally, each night there's more and more features to spot on its surface. And tonight is no different, so keep reading to find out what you're looking at.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, Feb. 23, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 36% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Without any visual aids, you can see plenty, but three Mares stand out: the Fecunditatis, Tranquillitatis, and Serenitatis. If you add binoculars you'll also be able to see the Endymion Crater, the Mare Nectaris, and the Posidonius Crater. And if you're lucky enough to own a telescope, this will give you a glimpse of the Apollo 16 and 17 landing spots, and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on March 3. The last Full Moon was on Feb. 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA tells us that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During this cycle, it passes through eight distinct phases. Although we consistently see the same side of the Moon, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its orbit. The changing angle of sunlight reflecting off the Moon’s surface is what makes it appear full, partially lit, or nearly dark at different times. The eight phases include:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Rejected! Publicly humiliated! Why, it's more than I can bear for Lyonel Baratheon, the real MVP of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

At the end of the HBO series' finale, we see our heroes Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) ditching their Summerhall plans and riding off into the countryside together, probably headed for the warmer climate of Dorne. No, Egg did not get permission from his father, Prince Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell), to join hedge knight Ser Duncan on the road as his squire. But yes, this dynamic duo are safe to slay another day.

But there's a broken heart in Ashford Meadow, that of our salt-and-pepper-bearded, fearless dance floor and battleground icon, Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings). Extending Dunk an invite to his home in Storm's End, the Laughing Storm is left on read, after fighting valiantly for him in the trial of seven.

Come with me to Storm's End and I'll love you like a brother. And if not, well, f**k you, I'll hate you like a brother." - Lyonel Baratheon to Dunk

Reader, hear me out. Ser Duncan should join Lyonel Baratheon in Storm's End. I have reasons! We don't actually hear about any of these characters again in George R. R. Martin's books, so it's all fantasy from here. So, here's five reasons why the stag-horned party animal's boring seaside home would make a solid choice for Dunk's next chapter. Hell, I'll go.

1. Lyonel Baratheon risked his life to fight for Dunk. Lean into that guilt, Lyonel. Credit: Steffan Hill / HBO

While you really shouldn't guilt someone into being your friend, Lyonel Baratheon does exactly that after the trial of seven. "Come with me to Storm's End and I'll love you like a brother," Lyonel says to Dunk. "And if not, well, f**k you, I'll hate you like a brother."

Granted, he makes a strong point to Dunk, who remains firmly committed to his pity party after the death of Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel). Yes, this death of the heir to the Iron Throne in the trial is tragic, politically tumultuous, and seemingly prophesied. And yes, it was valiant as hell for him to fight against his own family for justice. But as Lyonel points out, Baelor was fighting against the Kingsguard, who have sworn oaths to not harm him. Meanwhile, two Sers Humfrey were killed — Beesbury and Hardyng — as well as Baelor, fighting for Dunk.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' finale ending: Are there really 9 kingdoms?

"F**k you! I fought for you. Hardyng, Beesbury, the f**king apple boy, we fought for you," Lyonel says in the finale. "Your prince fought for you against men sworn to protect him. He risked nothing! And the gods don't favour a fraud."

This is Game of Thrones, so Lyonel mentions "a war coming" (always) and suggests he and Dunk could be a force together. Perhaps if Lyonel had gone a little less hard on Baelor, Dunk may have joined him.

2. Lyonel Baratheon finds a good time in Westeros that isn't pure violence. Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) and Dunk (Peter Claffey) = instant pals. Credit: Steffan Hill / HBO

"You could come with me," Lyonel tells Dunk. "We'll hunt, and hawk and sail, make merry."

Unlike certain sadistic Targaryen princes and backstabbing Fossoway cousins, Lyonel Baratheon seems to be in Ashford Meadow purely for a good time. Getting pissed during a tug of war, tearing up the dance floor in his festival tent, and "seizing the chance the bloody up the Kingsguard" for a dude he just met — this man seizes life by the horns on his head. Boasting an ample candle, roast, and ale budget, he also gives great if not mildly threatening pep talks: "The seven above made you tall, so be tall! Or I will name you a heretic and burn you." Motivational!

Sure, some Baratheons, historically, have that whole excessive partying and hunting streak going that somewhat bankrupts their kingdom. But honestly, it's hard to find a man who throws a dinner party in Westeros that doesn't end in blood. We'll take it.

3. To be fair, Storm's End seems bleak, lonely, and boring as hell. Borros Baratheon (Roger Evans) looking thrilled in Storm's End in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Gary Moyes / HBO

It's no wonder Lyonel wants a new friend to join him in his court. "Home is... Well, it's brutally dull," he laments in the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finale, loath to return to the seat of House Baratheon in Storm's End. But it's there, he suggests, they'll indulge in various outdoor activities like sailing and hunting. Plus, "I'll sharpen that iron of yours so you don’t make such a grand fool of yourself next time."

The only time we've actually visited the capital of the Stormlands onscreen in the Game of Thrones franchise is in the House of the Dragon Season 1 finale, when the young Lucerys Velaryon fails to ally with Borros Baratheon and comes face-to-face with Aemond Targaryen (and that didn't turn out well).

Storm's End is basically the Wuthering Heights of Westeros: dark, windswept, and home to bearded men. A hedge knight used to greener, muddier pastures, Dunk might struggle in the mighty stone castle atop the treacherous Shipbreaker Bay, but surely a spark like Lyonel keeps fireside amusements close. Plus, Lyonel mentions visiting Tarth, the island off the coast of the Stormlands (where GoT icon Brienne of Tarth hails from).

Could be worse. Could be the Iron Islands.

4. Ser Dunk can go to Dorne after Storm's End. If you look closely, you can actually pinpoint the exact moment Lyonel's heart breaks in two. Credit: Steffan Hill / HBO

In the finale, Dunk suggests Dorne as their destination (good puppets in Dorne, yup), which is the next kingdom over from the Reach, where Ashford Meadow is (their current location). If you check the map, the Stormlands also border Dorne, sitting east of the Reach. It's technically on the way to visit Storm's End, if you take a detour to the coast. ON THE WAY.

Honestly, Dunk, just go and visit your friend who fought for you at his boring house and then head south. Watching Lyonel put the invite out to Storm's End and have Dunk mope all over it is the Westeros version of the Ralph Wiggum heartbreak meme. Put this man's heart back together with one visit and then hit the road. Unless Storm's End is some seaside Hotel California...

5. Egg can come! Make merry! Credit: Steffan Hill / HBO

Seeing as though Egg (really Aegon, a Targaryen prince), snuck off from his family caravan back to King's Landing and joined Dunk without his father's permission, it doesn't really matter where Egg goes next — as long as it's where Dunk is and the Targaryens never find them. Sure, this child is exposed to way more adult partying than feels appropriate, and yes, Lyonel isn't the most concerned with kids' welfare, and of course the Stormlands could be in trouble if they're found to be harbouring a Targaryen prince, but Egg could learn a thing or two about court life in another great house of Westeros. Together, they could all hunt, hawk, sail, and make merry!

Look, the caravan leaves after the roast. I'll be joining it.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is streaming on HBO Max.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has come to an end, and the finale left us with two main questions: Where will Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) go next, and hang on a minute, are there actually nine kingdoms rather than seven?

Given that the show literally has "seven kingdoms" in its title, it's an interesting curveball — but one that Egg seems certain is correct. So what exactly does he say, and is he right? We've broken it down.

SEE ALSO: Someone go hang with Lyonel Baratheon in Storm's End, for goodness' sake What does Egg say about nine kingdoms?

As Dunk and Egg are setting off on their next adventure and deciding where they might go, they have the following exchange:

Egg: "Where are we going, ser?"

Dunk: "Don't know. I suppose we could go anywhere in the seven kingdoms, though I've never been to D—"

Egg: "Nine."

Dunk: "What?"

Egg: "There are nine kingdoms, ser."

Dunk: "Of what?"

Egg: "The realm."

Dunk: "Are you mad?"

Egg: "Is that relevant?"

Dunk: "There are seven kingdoms of the realm, boy. Everyone knows that."

Egg: "Then everyone is wrong."

Dunk: "Do you want a clout in the ear?"

Egg: "Crownlands, Westerlands, Stormlands, Riverlands, the Iron Islands, the North, the Reach, the Vale of Arryn, and Dorne."

Dunk: "No, but..."

Egg: "I've never been over the Red Mountains before. I hear they have good puppet shows in Dorne."

Moments later the show's title pops back up on a black screen, with the seven replaced by a nine. So what's the deal?

Featured Video For You Sorry to break it to you, the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are actually wyverns Are there really nine kingdoms?

As we already know from the show, Egg is no fool. He knows his history. The difference between seven kingdoms and nine kingdoms, it turns out, dates back to Aegon's conquest of Westeros. There were initially seven kingdoms — the North, Mountain and Vale, the Isles and the Rivers, the Rock, the Reach, the Stormlands, and Dorne — when Aegon first brought them under Targaryen rule, but the Isles and Rivers was then divided into the Iron Islands and the Riverlands, and the Crownlands was added into the mix too. The Rock became the Westerlands, and Mountain and Vale became the Vale of Arryn. The new total? Nine.

An Easter egg for Westerosi history buffs, and yet another amusing interaction between our favourite hedge knight and his squire.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' first season may have come to an end, but Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) have more adventures ahead of them.

The show has already been renewed for a second season, and there are more of George R. R. Martin's Dunk and Egg stories to draw from, so the attention now turns to what might be next for our intrepid duo.

The thing is, even though Dunk appears to end the season without knowing exactly where he wants to go next, the clues do point to one obvious destination. Let's unpack.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' finale ending: Are there really 9 kingdoms? What happens with Dunk and Egg at the end of the finale?

Dunk goes from being a man with nowhere to be at the start of the season to a man fielding multiple offers at the end of the season — but in the end, it's the open road and the hedge knight life that calls to him.

After confirming to his new friend Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas) that he doesn't plan to head back to Storm's End with Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), Dunk takes his horses and begins to make a move. "I don't know, Chestnut, stop asking me," he mutters. "Where would the old man go?"

As he's heading off, though, Egg catches up with him, lying to Dunk that his father has given him permission to be Dunk's squire. As they're setting off on their horses, the two have the following exchange:

Egg: "Where are we going, ser?"

Dunk: "Don't know. I suppose we could go anywhere in the seven kingdoms, though I've never been to D—"

Egg: "Nine."

Dunk: "What?"

Egg: "There are nine kingdoms, ser."

Dunk: "Of what?"

Egg: "The realm."

Dunk: "Are you mad?"

Egg: "Is that relevant?"

Dunk: "There are seven kingdoms of the realm, boy. Everyone knows that."

Egg: "Then everyone is wrong."

Dunk: "Do you want a clout in the ear?"

Egg: "Crownlands, Westerlands, Stormlands, Riverlands, the Iron Islands, the North, the Reach, the Vale of Arryn, and Dorne."

Dunk: "No, but..."

Egg: "I've never been over the Red Mountains before. I hear they have good puppet shows in Dorne."

We end the season without knowing for sure where they're headed next. But at the same time, the clues all seem to be pointing in the same direction.

Featured Video For You Sorry to break it to you, the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are actually wyverns Where will Dunk and Egg go next?

We know that after fleeing Ashford, Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) and her band of puppeteers fled to Dorne — hence Egg's final comment about "good puppet shows." Before he's interrupted by Egg, Dunk also seems to be about to say, "I've never been to Dorne," and Egg's comment about never having "been over the Red Mountains" refers to the mountain range that separates Dorne from their current location in The Reach.

If you look closely at the final shot of them riding through the field, you can even spot a mountain in the distance — presumably the Red Mountains that Egg is talking about.

The conclusion? Unless it's all a huge red herring, it seems pretty clear that Dunk and Egg are at least planning to head to Dorne next. Whether they'll already be there by the time Season 2 rolls round, or will still be on their way, is another question.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max.

"Our interests finally align."

That's what Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela) tells Harper Stern (Myha'la) in Industry Season 4, episode 7, "Points of Emphasis." The statement's been a long time coming, as Season 4 has done almost everything in its power to keep the show's two leads apart. Each navigates a different world: Harper reigns over her own fund, while Yasmin leverages the aristocracy and presses. From their respective vantage points, they've set their sights on fintech company Tender. Harper is shorting it, hoping for its failure, while Yasmin has tied her and her husband Henry Muck (Kit Harington) to its success.

SEE ALSO: Kit Harington and Max Minghella break down 'Industry's NSFW glory hole scene

By episode 7, it's clear that Harper took the correct position. Tender's fraudulence is exposed, and Yasmin arranges an exit strategy for herself. With no money, a husband who's implicated in Tender's wrongdoings, and an uncertain future, Yasmin turns to Harper for comfort.

The pair meet at a bar and have a cathartic heart to heart. They each unpack their deepest insecurities, and how the other often embodies them. It's a softened mirror to their blow-up fight in Season 3, and proof that there may just be a path forward for TV's most complicated frenemies.

"As a person who's always rooting for Harper and Yasmin, I was so glad for them," Myha'la told Mashable in a video interview alongside Abela. "I felt like it was one of the first and only times they really said some things to each other that needed to be said, that were really honest and vulnerable and not with any intention of hurting the other person at all. It was the friendliest conversation I think they ever had."

SEE ALSO: 'Industry' stars Myha'la and Marisa Abela break down Harper and Yasmin's big fight: 'This is the end for them'

"They often have these conversations where, in a heightened moment, they say all these unforgivable things to one another, but they're most painful because they're so true," Abela added. "Whereas this is a moment of truthfulness and vulnerability, where they're really asking for tenderness from the other person, and the other person is able to give it to them. It was a very rewarding scene in the context of the four seasons of the show."

That sense of giving is best encapsulated by an exchange about the two preparing to go out.

"Will you look after me tonight?" Yasmin asks.

"When the fuck are you gonna look after me?" Harper retorts. (It's a valid question, as Harper literally helped her cover for her father's death in Season 3.)

Yasmin's response? "Tonight."

"I think genuinely, this is the first time that Harper asks for Yasmin's help," Myha'la said. "She might say it with a little bit of attitude, because there's history, but she genuinely also wants someone to take care of her. She's also gone through so much loss: her mother, and then Eric [Ken Leung], so it was really rewarding."

For Abela, that shared history is the reason why Yasmin is able to open up so much to Harper in this moment. While the two were at odds over the Tender situation, Yasmin isn't upset about anything Harper is done. (She did try to warn her!)

"She doesn't blame Harper for any of that stuff," Abela said. "She knows at this point that Harper is one of the only people left that really, truly sees her and understands her. I think we couldn't have had a conversation like this in Season 2 because they didn't know each other as well as they know each other now."

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Harper and Yasmin's reconciliation ends with a trip to the club, where they dance and share a kiss. It's a far cry from the kiss they shared back in Season 1, in an attempted threesome with Robert Spearing (Harry Lawtey). Here, it's just the two of them, the only bodies lit up in a sea of dancing shadows.

"The intimacy is the only thing left at that point," Abela said of the scene. "'Where do you end? Where do I begin? How much can I love you, and how much can I let you love me? How much can I let you in, and how much will you let me in?' All of those questions are being asked in that moment."

For now, the answer seems to be that yes, Harper and Yasmin are able to love one another and let their guards down.

"We're here forever, even if we can't be," Yasmin tells Harper as they sit outside, smoking and leaning on one another. It's a sweet snapshot of their new closeness, of what they could have been much earlier had they not met in the competitive pressure cooker of Pierpoint.

Knowing Industry, though, how long will that "forever" truly last?

Industry's Season 4 finale premieres Sunday, March 1 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Sterling K. Brown exudes consistency. The multi-talented performer won an Emmy a decade ago for portraying Chris Darden in the fantastic crime drama, The People v. O. J. Simpson. Brown has also earned critical acclaim on the big screen, earning an Academy Award nomination in 2023's American Fiction. Brown is now the star of the post-apocalyptic thriller Paradise, which returns to Hulu for its sophomore season on February 23.

TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro was $199, but right now, it’s only $12.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $12.97
$199 Save $186.03   Get Deal

Last year, Microsoft ended support for Windows 10. One major consequence of that is that machines running Windows 10 aren’t getting the essential security updates that keep your data private. The good news is that it’s also really cheap to upgrade right now. Before, it would have cost you $199 to get Windows 11 Pro, but right now, it’s only $12.97. This offer ends very soon.

Security is one of the main reasons to move away from Windows 10. Windows 11 Pro uses newer hardware security tools like TPM 2.0 and UEFI, which help your PC check that nothing has been tampered with when it starts up. BitLocker can encrypt your whole drive so your files are harder to get into if your laptop is lost or stolen, and Smart App Control helps block shady or unsafe apps before they run. If you run virtual machines, test software, or connect to business networks, tools like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and Azure AD support give you a safer way to do that work.

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You also get a simpler desktop layout, a new Start menu, and snap tools that make it easier to line up windows side by side without dragging them around forever. Virtual desktops let you keep separate setups for work, school, and personal use on the same computer. Built-in Teams and Widgets keep calls, calendars, weather, and other quick info close so you are not digging through menus just to join a meeting or check something basic.

Copilot adds an AI assistant directly into Windows. You can use it to change settings, summarize pages you are reading, draft emails or other text, or get quick code suggestions. You open it from the taskbar, with the Windows logo key plus C, or with a Copilot key if your keyboard has one.

Time to upgrade. Get Windows 11 Pro while it’s only $13.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

LIke most people, I don't have any more spinning mechanical hard drives inside any of my computers. However, I have more external hard drives than I can count without taking off my shoes and frankly I've never followed the supposed best practices for these devices.

Sometimes Apple TV can feel like a dormant streaming service, where not much happens on it, until it does (The Studio, Pluribus, I'm looking at you). But with a back catalog of some pretty great shows to binge—from prestige dramas to big-budget sci-fi epics—if you'd rather skip the scrolling and get straight to the good stuff, I've got three for you this week that cover a bit of everything.

Bloatware—all those useless apps that were installed on your phone before you got it—can take up a lot of space, even if it's just a bunch of visual icons. Deleting these apps is a good idea, and not just for your personal sanity and satisfaction.

What does a brand name on the outside of a TV actually mean? For many people, a brand is associated with a specific country of origin, a certain expectation of quality, and a particular design philosophy. That's by design, but ultimately a brand is just a word printed on the box. The actual facts about a product can be rather complicated.

Before SD cards became the default (well, one of the defaults) in removable storage, that whole part of the storage market was a mess of tiny, incompatible formats that only really worked with specific devices or brands.

Termux is awesome, but the one thing that slowed me down (or at least used to slow me down) was having to look up documentation or commands. So I found a way to bring an AI assistant (not a coding agent) into Termux. Now I can look up commands and search for stuff on the fly without leaving the terminal.

When you're trying to get perfect audio at home, it's really easy to spend a ton of money upgrading your main speakers. You might think that a bigger unit or a higher price tag automatically equals better sound quality. That common assumption is honestly the biggest mistake people make in modern home audio setups.

The average new vehicle price has risen steadily over the last five years, reaching a point where even a six-figure salary may not provide enough room when factoring in other living costs. Gone are the days of ultra-affordable cars, as consumers can expect to pay, on average, $50,000 for a new vehicle today.

You might not realize it, but your 3D printer has a single point of failure that can keep you from printing—the PTFE tube. It seems like an inconsequential part, but after having mine fail, I now keep it on hand so my printers are never down again because of this simple wear part.

You may not know it, but your phone could be dying faster than it should be. Conserving your battery in the short and long term can be extremely important to maintaining device health, but are you doing it right?

Does your Windows PC lack USB-C? Or, maybe you only have a single USB-C port and want more. There are quite a few ways to add the latest connection standard to your desktop or laptop. Here are a few of my favorite ways to add USB-C to any Windows PC.

NASA is already walking back its Friday announcement that it will try to launch to the moon in March, after discovering a new problem with the Artemis II rocket. 

Officials said they're eyeing Tuesday, Feb. 24, to haul the rocket off the launchpad.

During a routine step to restore pressure in the Space Launch System, the team couldn't get helium to flow properly through the rocket. Helium, though not a fuel, is important because it helps protect the engines and keeps the fuel tanks at the right pressure. Though the helium system worked fine during a launch rehearsal that ended Thursday night, engineers are especially troubled knowing a similar pattern cropped up before the Artemis I launch in 2022, which didn't carry astronauts. 

The affected part is the rocket's upper stage, which uses super-cold fuels — liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen — to power the mission once it’s in space. Engineers are looking at several possible causes, including a connection point between the ground equipment and the rocket, a valve in the upper stage, and a filter in the helium line. Fixing any of those issues would require work at the Vehicle Assembly Building, the rocket's enormous hangar about four miles away from the pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Unless NASA suddenly discovers a different cause that can be addressed at the pad, a delay is inevitable. 

"We will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration," said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman in an X post.

SEE ALSO: NASA admits Starliner failures as it preps for March launch of Artemis 2

Artemis II is a 10-day flight around the moon and back, testing the new Orion spaceship with humans aboard. It's the space agency's first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since 1972. The test flight sets the stage for a moon landing during Artemis III. The overall Artemis campaign is intended to establish a permanent human presence on the moon in preparation for more challenging missions to Mars.

The four-person crew began quarantining at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday, when a launch on March 6 seemed achievable. The astronauts — Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — were released from their sequester Saturday night. 

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman says President Donald Trump wants Artemis to exceed the achievements of the Apollo program. Credit: NASA / Aubrey Gemignani

Acting quickly now could keep an April launch on the table. The windows include April 1, April 3-6, and April 30. NASA has not released future launch window dates to the public, despite requests from reporters. 

At this time, the rocket is safe and using a backup method to maintain stable conditions in the upper stage, according to NASA. The upper stage is critical because it pushes the spacecraft onto its trajectory after liftoff.

NASA studied the Artemis I helium issue and confirmed the system was still working within safe limits before the inaugural launch. But given that Artemis II involves human lives, the bar is much higher on what risks the agency will accept before launching. 

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NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said the team had been "up all night" from Friday to Saturday, troubleshooting the helium issues at the Kennedy Space Center launch pad. Officials plan to hold a detailed briefing on the situation later this week. 

Delays are frustrating, but space missions often hit technical setbacks, and fixing issues before a crewed flight is the right move, Isaacman said. 

"The President created Artemis as a program that will far surpass what America achieved during Apollo. We will return in the years ahead, we will build a Moon base, and undertake what should be continuous missions to and from the lunar environment," he wrote. "Where we begin with this architecture and flight rate is not where it will end."