Florida-bound tropical storm forces new delay to uncrewed Artemis moonshot

Giant rocket, designed to withstand winds of 85mph, will remain on launchpad, with new launch date set for 16 November

The imminent arrival of Tropical Storm Nicole in Florida has prompted Nasa to further delay its first crew-capable moon mission in half a century, although mission managers say they are comfortable leaving the multibillion-dollar Artemis spacecraft on its coastal launchpad.

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule are designed to withstand winds of up to 85mph, officials say, above those currently predicted for the rare late-season Atlantic cyclone that was set for an early Thursday landfall on Florida's east coast south of the Kennedy space center.