We will need to exercise patience a bit longer; the American space agency has decided to postpone the next moon landing for safety reasons.
Ambitious Plans
The American space agency, NASA, has set a mission: to land humans on the moon once again. Despite having accomplished this feat in the past, a return to the moon is highly ambitious undoubtedly. Initially, NASA had hoped to achieve this milestone by around 2024. However, it soon became evident that this goal was a bit overambitious. In 2021, NASA indicated that a 2024 timeline was too tight, as not only did the development of the launch system and lunar lander face delays, but also the specially-designed spacesuits for this mission won’t be ready until at least 2025. This revelation essentially ruled out any possibility of a manned moon flight in 2024.
A New Target: 2026
A manned moon landing in 2024 quickly proved to be a far reach. Perhaps 2025 would be achievable? Unfortunately, as of yesterday, that faint glimmer of hope faded away. In a statement, NASA reported that a manned moon landing would not be possible until September 2026 at the earliest.
The Question of Safety
The lunar mission is set back due to safety concerns, as NASA chief Bill Nelson explains, “We are returning to the moon in an entirely new way, and the safety of our astronauts is paramount.”
The Test Flight
Those familiar with the Artemis program can hardly be surprised by this postponement. The landing is a complicated endeavour. NASA intends to reach the moon in an entirely new way, utilizing a brand-new launch system (SLS), a new spacecraft (Orion), and a new lunar lander. The development of SLS and Orion has had its fair share of hiccups, with the maiden test flight happening later than anticipated, taking place in 2022 instead of 2021. Furthermore, the test flight experienced a series of challenges, including issues with Orion’s heat shield and ventilation systems which are currently under investigation. The results of this study are expected in the spring.
Artemis II
When NASA has full confidence that SLS and Orion are safe enough to transport astronauts to the moon, that will signal the commencement of Artemis II. During this mission, astronauts will for the first time take a place in Orion and fly around the moon. With the timeframe, announced yesterday, this mission is tentatively scheduled for September 2025. By planning the following mission, Artemis III (the manned moon mission), a year later, NASA expects to have ample time to apply the lessons learned from Artemis II to Artemis III.
Commercial Partnerships
With the new timeline, NASA isn’t just affording itself more time. Unlike the Apollo program, NASA is not operating the Artemis program solo; the American space agency believes that their ambitious plans can only come to fruition with the help of aerospace companies. For instance, SpaceX has been tasked with developing a lunar lander. The astronauts will be transported to space via NASA’s SLS and Orion, then transfer to the SpaceX-made lunar lander to descend to the lunar surface. By pushing back the first manned moon mission, NASA is also giving SpaceX – and other commercial partners involved in the Artemis program – more time to test and enhance the safety of their product.
Patience is Needed
Consequently, our patience is being tested a bit more. This is not just about the maiden manned Artemis missions, but also regarding the construction of the Lunar Gateway, which has been delayed. Originally, the construction of the Lunar Gateway was set to begin in October 2025. However, NASA had to admit that even this was too ambitious. Now, it is revising the start date while keeping Artemis IV in mind: during this mission – currently planned for 2028 – the living and workspace for the astronauts should be attached to the first parts of the Lunar Gateway.
Moving Ahead
Therefore, a new timeline for Artemis has been released. It appears wise to pencil this into your calendars; NASA has simultaneously announced regular reviews of this timeline’s sustainability. Achieving these goals doesn’t rely solely on NASA’s progress but also on those of other companies tasked with delivering certain pieces of equipment in accordance with the timeline. This allows NASA the room to make adjustments where necessary. However, almost poetically, it is noted by NASA that we are closer today to a return to the moon than we have ever been, a fact that cannot really be disputed.
