NASA Artemis Moon Missions Delayed Until 2026 and 2027
The New York Times
It is unclear where the program to go back to the lunar surface will head after President-elect Donald J. Trump returns to the White House in January.
NASA on Thursday postponed a mission to send four astronauts around the moon and back to Earth until April 2026.
The move is the latest setback for Artemis, the government space agency’s return-to-the-moon program, which has already faced years of delays.
A subsequent mission to land astronauts near the south pole of the moon is now scheduled for mid-2027, Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, said during a news conference on Thursday.
The adjustment to the Artemis schedule comes as the Mr. Nelson prepares to leave the agency when President-elect Donald J. Trump returns to the White House in January.
Even though Mr. Trump had set the goal of sending astronauts back to the moon during his first administration, he could change his mind after he takes office. In the coming months, NASA could instead put more money toward another destination that Mr. Trump has talked about: Mars.
Mr. Nelson expressed confidence that the Artemis program would continue despite its delays and cost overruns. He said he had spoken to the leaders of companies including Boeing, Lockheed Martin and SpaceX that are manufacturing key components for the mission as well as international partners .
