A new federal report says NASA’s plan to return astronauts to the moon in 2025 with its multi-stage Artemis mission was too optimistic to begin with and is now subject to multiple delays. It seems likely that humans will not return to the moon’s surface until 2027 at the earliest.
in Ratings were announced on Thursday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said that although NASA and its contractors have made progress since the auditor’s last report in September 2022, they “still face multiple challenges with human landing system and spacesuit development.” “I am doing so,” he reported. Auditors also noted that recent failed attempts at in-orbit testing of the SpaceX Starship rocket system, which is planned to return NASA astronauts to the moon, also contributed to the extended schedule. .
The GAO report found that NASA may have misestimated the planned progress timeline for the Artemis program, calculating a shorter development period than NASA has used in the past for less complex projects. emphasized.
“The complexity of human spaceflight suggests that it is unrealistic to expect program development to be completed more than a year faster than the average for NASA’s major projects, the majority of which are not human spaceflight projects. ”, the report states. “GAO found that if it took as long to develop as NASA’s average major project, the Artemis III mission would likely be implemented in early 2027.”
Auditors also noted NASA’s unprecedented use of third-party contractors to accomplish goals set during various stages of the Artemis program.
“To accomplish the Artemis III mission as planned by December 2025, NASA will need to develop, acquire, and integrate several new systems,” the report said. “These include transportation systems for crews to and from the moon, as well as spacesuits for lunar surface operations.”With the aim of fostering innovation and improving affordability, NASA has developed and uses a relatively new approach to obtaining spacesuits.”
Those contractors include SpaceX, which is developing systems to get astronauts to the moon, and Axiom Space, which is working on the next generation of spacesuits for Artemis astronauts.
SpaceX also appears to be behind schedule on key aspects of its plan to land astronauts on the moon for Artemis III. It is the development of a system that launches multiple tankers that transfer propellant to a base in space before transferring it to a human landing system. According to the report, NASA documents state that SpaceX has made limited progress “maturing the technology necessary to support this aspect of the program.”
NASA has requested $12.4 billion over the next five years to develop a lunar human landing system and modernized spacesuits, according to the GAO report.
Last December, NASA successfully completed its Artemis I mission with a 25-day flight using a giant Space Launch System rocket and Orion space capsule.
The unmanned Artemis I mission allowed NASA experts to test new SLS components. Many were reused from old Space Shuttle programs and other systems. orion space capsule.
Artemis I The mission is just the first in a three-phase program aimed at returning astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time since Apollo’s last visit to the moon in December 1972.
Artemis II is currently expected to be completed in 2024 and will carry a crew of four in an Orion capsule to space and fly around the moon for further tests. The Artemis III mission, which would include sending astronauts to the moon’s surface, appears to be scheduled for as early as 2027.
Along the way, NASA wants to set up a small space station. moon gatewayis in orbit around the moon and has future plans that include a lunar base station. artemis base camp.
In a post to Artemis Mission websiteNASA has cited several reasons for spending billions of dollars to make moon landings a priority again.
“We will return to the Moon for scientific discoveries, economic benefits, and to inspire a new generation of explorers, the Artemis generation,” NASA said. “While maintaining America’s leadership in exploration, we will continue to build global alliances and explore deep space for the benefit of everyone.”
While returning to the moon feels a bit “been there, done that”, NASA has set several other firsts, including extending human exploration deep into the solar system as part of the Artemis series of missions. He says he is committed to achieving this.
“With the Artemis mission, NASA will land the first woman and woman. The first person of color on the moonWe will use innovative technology to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before,” NASA said in a web post. “We will work with commercial and international partners to establish the first long-term presence on the moon. And we will use what we have learned on the moon and around it to create the first space We will take the next big leap by sending astronauts to Mars.”