NASA announces major overhaul of Artemis program amid safety concerns, delays
6 hours ago
- #Space Exploration
- #NASA
- #Artemis
- NASA announces major overhaul of Artemis moon program due to safety concerns and delays.
- New Administrator Jared Isaacman adds an additional flight in 2027 for testing commercial moon landers in low-Earth orbit.
- Revised plan includes at least one, possibly two lunar landing missions in 2028.
- Goal is to accelerate Space Launch System rocket launches while reducing reliance on untested technologies.
- Safety Advisory Panel report deemed original Artemis III mission too risky, prompting restructuring.
- Artemis II mission delayed to April 1 due to technical issues.
- Artemis III mission redefined to rendezvous and dock with commercial landers in Earth orbit in 2027.
- Artemis IV and V missions planned for 2028 to land astronauts on the moon.
- NASA to halt development of more powerful SLS upper stage, opting for standardized version.
- SpaceX and Blue Origin onboard with accelerated lander development.
- Focus on rebuilding workforce and increasing launch cadence to reduce risk.
- Emphasis on creating a sustainable lunar economy to reduce taxpayer dependency.