NASA’s Artemis Moon Mission to land humans on moon delays to September 2026

NASA’s Artemis Moon Mission to land humans on moon delays to September 2026

NASA is delaying its mission to land American astronauts on the moon by about a year due to technical challenges with the Artemis program. The new target for the mission, called Artemis III, is now set for September 2026.

The initial lunar landing was planned for late 2025, and a precursor mission for deep space exploration is now scheduled for September 2025. Despite setbacks, NASA considers the fall 2026 timeframe for Artemis III still ambitious. This delay highlights the struggles of meeting ambitious deadlines and dealing with complexities in working with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin.

SpaceX’s Starship, a key component for the moon mission, requires refueling multiple times in orbit. However, SpaceX hasn’t yet sent Starship to orbit, hindering testing of its propellant transfer ability. Jessica Jensen, SpaceX’s Vice President, stated that around “ten-ish” Starship launches would be needed to fuel a moon mission.

SpaceX anticipates receiving a Federal Aviation Administration license for the third Starship test launch in February. The setbacks underscore the intricate nature of space exploration collaboration between NASA and private companies like SpaceX.