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NASA\u2019s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft for Artemis I at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida<\/p>\n
NASA<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
It is going to take a little longer than expected to send astronauts back to the moon. NASA has delayed its Artemis II flight, which was originally intended to bring four astronauts around the moon in late 2024, until September 2025. Its Artemis III mission to land astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since 1972 has also been moved \u2013 from 2025 to 2026 at the earliest.<\/p>\n
During a press briefing on 9 January, NASA officials said this decision was made to ensure crew safety and allow time for sufficient testing of all the components of the spacecraft.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to emphasise that safety is our number one priority\u2026 And as we prepare to send our friends and colleagues on this mission, we\u2019re committed to launching as safely as possible,\u201d said NASA associate administrator Jim Free during the briefing. \u201cWe will launch, when we\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n One cause for concern was that in tests, the heat shield on the Orion spacecraft \u2013 the crew capsule for the Artemis missions \u2013 burned up a little more than expected, with some charred bits falling off. \u201cNow, this heat shield is an ablative material \u2013 it is supposed to char \u2013 but it\u2019s not what we were expecting, with some pieces of that char to be liberated from the vehicle,\u201d NASA official Amit Kshatriya said during the briefing.<\/p>\n NASA is in the midst of investigating why that happened, as well as analysing some other problems that occurred during testing, including faults appearing in valves that could potentially affect the life-support systems on the spacecraft. \u201cWe know how to fix it,\u201d said Kshatriya. \u201cWe just need to make sure we take the time to do it according to the workmanship standard that we expect for a human-rated vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n Finally, there were some potential issues with the abort systems on the enormous new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. These are the systems that separate Orion and blast it off to safety should anything go wrong with the rocket itself, so these electrical problems are particularly important to characterise and fix before humans get aboard.<\/p>\n Topics:<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n