NASA Delays Artemis Moon Missions to 2026 and 2027 Due to Orion Heat Shield Issues

Dec 5, 2024, 07:41 PM

NASA announced further delays in its Artemis moon missions, attributing the setbacks to concerns with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield. Artemis II, now scheduled for April 2026, will use a modified reentry trajectory to address these issues. This mission aims to send four astronauts around the moon and back, marking the first crewed lunar mission in decades. Artemis III, planned for mid-2027, intends to land astronauts on the moon, contingent on the readiness of the SpaceX lunar lander. The Artemis program is already over budget and years behind schedule, with some missions now 5 to 7 years late and an estimated $93 billion invested. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that despite the delays, these missions remain ahead of China's publicly stated intention to land on the moon by 2030.