NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Axiom official announcements

NASA Delays Artemis II to April 2026, Artemis III to Mid-2027, Citing Heat Shield Issues

Dec 5, 2024, 06:15 PM

NASA has announced significant delays in its Artemis lunar missions, pushing the Artemis II mission to April 2026 and Artemis III to mid-2027, assuming SpaceX's lander is ready. This update was provided by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a news conference on December 5, 2024, at the agency's headquarters in Washington. The Artemis II mission, which will send astronauts around the moon, and Artemis III, aimed at landing humans on the lunar surface, are facing delays due to issues with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield from the Artemis I mission, necessitating a modified reentry trajectory. NASA leadership, including Pam Melroy, Jim Free, Cathy Koerner, Amit Kshatriya, and Reid Wiseman, were present to discuss these updates. Nelson emphasized the urgency of these missions, citing the need to stay ahead of China's announced lunar landing plans for 2030. He also mentioned his personal meetings with CEOs from SpaceX, Blue Origin, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Axiom to ensure they meet and improve on the schedule, stressing that safety is NASA's North Star.