Brandon Carn, a high school science teacher from San Diego, traveled to Brevard County, Florida, on March 13, 2026, to see the Artemis I rocket launch. The mission, intended to send an uncrewed spacecraft to the moon, was delayed by NASA due to technical issues with the Space Launch System. Carn, who had booked a hotel room in Titusville and arranged transportation to the Kennedy Space Center, arrived hours before the scheduled liftoff only to learn the launch was postponed until at least April 5.
Carn had planned the trip with his students in mind, aiming to inspire them with a firsthand view of the mission. 'We talked about this for months,' he said. 'It’s not just about the rocket—it’s about showing kids what’s possible.' The delay, however, left him stranded in Florida with no immediate return flight. Local hotels in the area, already saturated with space enthusiasts, began turning away visitors, forcing Carn to seek alternative lodging in nearby Cocoa.
The Artemis I delay is the second postponement for the mission, which has faced repeated setbacks since 2022. NASA officials cited a hydrogen leak in the rocket’s core stage as the primary cause of the latest delay. Carn, who had purchased tickets to a private viewing event at the Space Coast’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, said the cancellation left him with 'a lot of unanswered questions.'
Despite the setback, Carn remained optimistic. He spent the next two days visiting local science museums and speaking with students at a Brevard County middle school. 'I’m not here to see a rocket launch—I’m here to see the future,' he told a group of eighth graders. With the next launch date still uncertain, Carn has applied for a refund on his flight and is considering extending his trip to attend a SpaceX event in Boca Chica, Texas.