NASA ambitious plans to return humans to the moon, more than 50 years after the last lunar landing, encountered two setbacks on Tuesday. The space agency revealed that it is facing delays due to technical issues, and a private supplier also reported mechanical problems.
The postponement affects two crucial missions in NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis II, which aimed to send astronauts on a mission around the moon later this year, and Artemis III, scheduled to send astronauts to the lunar surface in December 2025, will both be delayed due to concerns about the spacecraft intended for the missions.
The revised launch schedule for NASA’s lunar missions now points to Artemis II launching in September 2025 and Artemis III in September 2026. The third program, Artemis IV, is still on course for its scheduled launch in September 2028.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that safety remains the top priority, stating, “To give Artemis teams more time to work through the challenges with first-time developments, operations, and integration, we’re going to give more time on Artemis II and III.”
In a separate development, a private company, Astrobotic Technology, faced challenges with its Peregrine lander, designed to gather scientific data about the moon and aid in preparations for Artemis III. The lander, which embarked on its maiden flight on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, encountered a “propulsion issue” shortly after separating from the rocket. Astrobotic acknowledged the possibility that the craft may not be able to complete its lunar journey and is exploring “alternative mission profiles.” Unfortunately, due to a propellant leak, the company confirmed there is no chance of a soft landing on the Moon, estimating the spacecraft to run out of propellant in 40 hours, well short of the intended 46-day journey to reach the moon. NASA ambitious plans
The delays to the Artemis missions, projected to incur costs of $93 million through 2025, were anticipated for some time. In November, the Government Accountability Office released a report forecasting potential delays to Artemis III until 2027.
The inaugural mission, Artemis I, featured an uncrewed Orion space capsule, constructed by Lockheed Martin, which completed an orbit around the moon in late 2022.