NASA's recent announcement of a delay to the Artemis mission means astronauts won't be walking on the moon again as soon as previously thought.
The astronauts were scheduled to orbit the moon in late 2024 on the Artemis II mission.
Artemis III is planned for 2025, when astronauts will walk on the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 60s and early 70s.
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Test failures and safety concerns have pushed back those target dates, with Artemis II now planned for September 2025 and Artemis III for September 2026.
In addition to concerns about the safety of the spacecraft, problems with private industry's moonsuit and landers have also contributed to delays, according to the Associated Press.
Apollo 11 commemorates the first time astronauts landed on the moon. (Bettman/Contributor)
“We are returning to the Moon like never before, and astronaut safety is a top priority for NASA as we prepare for future Artemis missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a NASA press release. Stated.
“We have learned a lot since Artemis I. The success of these early missions has led to commercial and international partnerships to deepen our reach and understanding of humanity’s place in our solar system. Artemis represents what we can achieve as a nation and as a global union. If we look at the difficult things, together we can achieve great things. I can.”
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SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket is the ship that carries astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon's surface and is essential to the Artemis III mission. However, neither Starship test launch was able to complete its intended mission.
Starship has launched twice so far, but neither completed its intended mission. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
The Orion spacecraft also suffered problems in 2022 when an empty capsule was sent into lunar orbit for the Artemis I flight test.
Upon return to Earth, there were problems with the capsule's heat shield and life support concerns.
NASA's postponement of the moon landing to 2026 may also be too ambitious. The mission may be further delayed.
Twelve people walked on the moon as part of the Apollo program. (Space Frontiers/Getty Images)
“Executing a very complex mission requires everyone to be ready and everyone to be successful,” NASA Deputy Administrator Amit Kshatriya said, according to the Associated Press.
He added that a 2026 moon landing is on a “very aggressive schedule.”
The Government Accountability Office said NASA is likely looking to land astronauts on the moon in 2027.
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The delay announcement comes on the heels of a Pittsburgh company's failed attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon. That mission ended due to a fuel leak.
It has been announced that four astronauts will participate in the Artemis II moon mission in 2023. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)
In April 2023, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency announced the astronauts who will participate in the Artemis II mission.
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Captain Reed Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen will be on board for the spaceflight. The mission is scheduled to last 10 days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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