NASA has admitted that delays are piling up in the Artemis program to return humans to the moon, and has hinted that the Artemis 3 mission may not include a moon landing if a number of critical technical elements are not in place. What is certain is that humans will reach the moon in 2026 at best.

The Artemis 2 mission, which will take four astronauts around the Moon (without landing), is scheduled to launch no earlier than November 2024 and is on schedule. However, NASA said there is a possibility that the Artemis 3 mission, which will not launch until December 2025, will be modified and may NOT include a moon landing.

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Between 1969 and 1972, 12 men walked on the moon, and a return was scheduled for 2025 or 2026. NASA has not explained how the Artemis 3 mission might differ if it is decided to change it, but it has said that changes to Artemis 3 will also be made depending on what happens with the Artemis 2 mission. Artemis 2.

In June, NASA officials expressed concern that SpaceX’s Starship program was experiencing ongoing delays, particularly because Artemis 3 is to use a lunar lander built by Elon Musk’s company. The Starship rocket is also experiencing delays, especially after it exploded during its first full test in April.

Complications can also arise with new spacesuits, especially since their manufacturer must be able to test them using the Artemis 3 capsule, and simulators must be created for astronauts to learn how to operate them.

Sources: SpaceNews, AFP.