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\n NASA\u2019s Space Launch System has had a tricky start<\/p>\n NASA\/Cory Huston<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n NASA is shaking up the plan for its Artemis moon missions. In a press conference on 27 February, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced significant changes to the agency\u2019s plans to send humans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo programme ended in 1972.<\/p>\n The Artemis II mission is slated to launch in the next few months but has had a pair of difficult practice runs. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket kept springing leaks when fuel was being pumped in and itt ended up being rolled back from the launchpad for analysis and repairs. The last time SLS was launched was in 2022.<\/p>\n Artemis II is a mission to send astronauts in a loop around the moon, in preparation to send a crew to land on the lunar surface with Artemis III. That plan has changed now \u2013 Artemis III will no longer be a landing mission, but a mission to test the Orion crew capsule\u2019s ability to dock with a lander in orbit, as well as the space suits for the eventual landing.<\/p>\n This may seem like a step backward, but it comes along with a plan to increase the frequency of launches. The new plan is for Artemis IV and possibly Artemis V as well to land on the moon in 2028.<\/p>\n \u201cThe entire sequence of Artemis flights needs to represent a step-by-step buildup of capability, with each step bringing us closer to our ability to perform the landing missions,\u201d NASA official Amit Kshatriya said in a statement. \u201cEach step needs to be big enough to make progress, but not so big that we take unnecessary risk given previous learnings.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There were originally plans to upgrade the upper stage of the SLS rocket for future missions, but Isaacman announced in the press conference that NASA will now aim for a \u201cstandardised\u201d version instead of making major changes every few missions. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to turn every rocket into a work of art,\u201d Isaacman said during the press conference.<\/p>\n These shifts mark a change in the overall philosophy of the Artemis programme, testing every part of the rocket and mission plan thoroughly before each step and taking small steps quickly instead of making big jumps every few years. Isaacman said that he hopes this will eliminate the delays that have plagued Artemis from the beginning, creating a safer and more sensical lunar exploration programme.<\/p>\n Topics:<\/p>\n<\/section><\/div>\n