NASA has announced further delays to its ambitious Artemis missions, which aim to return astronauts to the Moon. The delays stem from problems discovered with the heat shield of the Orion spacecraft. It’s a critical component that protects astronauts during the intense re-entry phase into Earth’s atmosphere.
An investigation revealed that the Artemis II heat shield can still safely protect the crew, but adjustments to the spacecraft’s re-entry trajectory will be required. These changes mean the next mission, Artemis II, has been postponed by seven months, with its launch now scheduled for April 2026. Artemis III, the mission to land humans on the lunar surface, is now expected to take place in 2027.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasised the importance of safety in the decision. “When we go, we go safely,” he said, calling the Artemis campaign “the most daring and technically challenging international endeavour humanity has ever undertaken.”
The Artemis II mission will involve a 10-day flight around the Moon and back. It will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Despite the delay, Wiseman expressed confidence in NASA’s decision-making and excitement for the mission.
This is the latest in a series of setbacks for Artemis, which originally planned its first uncrewed mission in 2016. It only succeeded in launching Artemis I in 2022. The announcement also comes as NASA faces scrutiny following former President Donald Trump’s controversial nomination of Jared Isaacman to head the space agency.
The Artemis missions remain a cornerstone of NASA’s vision to return humanity to the Moon and beyond.
