NASA’s Hopes Dashed: May not be able to land astronauts on the Moon in Artemis 3 mission

In an announcement that will dash the dreams and hopes of several Americans, as well as people from other nations across the world, NASA has said that they might not be able to launch astronauts and make them land on the Moon with their Artemis 3 mission. During a press briefing, Jim Free, the Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at the space agency, indicated that specific crucial components need to be prepared, with a particular focus on the landing system being crafted by SpaceX. If this element is not completed on schedule, he remarked, there is a possibility that an alternative mission might be undertaken instead. What the Artemis missions had planned? Under the Artemis program, NASA is strategizing a series of missions that progressively increase in complexity. These missions aim to achieve two main objectives: to reestablish a presence on the Moon and to construct a sustainable foundation for technological experimentation that will ultimately pave the way for human travel to Mars. The first mission, Artemis 1, took place in 2022, involving an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the Moon. Artemis 2, scheduled for November 2024, will mirror this trajectory but with a crew on board. However, the crowning moment for these set of missions would have been the Artemis 3 mission, which was originally set for December 2025. This mission marks NASA’s ambitious return to the lunar surface with humans for the first time since 1972, this time focusing on the lunar south pole where ice can be harnessed and transformed into rocket fuel. Mission doubtful because of SpaceX? SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has secured the contract for the landing system, which is based on a version of its Starship rocket prototype. This Starship rocket, however, remains significantly distant from being fully prepared. An orbital test flight of the Starship resulted in a dramatic explosion in April. Jim Free stated that NASA officials recently inspected SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas to gain a better understanding of the hardware’s progress and the associated timeline. While the visit provided valuable insights, he expressed apprehension due to the absence of actual launches. He emphasized that multiple successful launches are required before the rocket can be considered ready. Domino effect Moreover, delays in the development of the Starship rocket have cascading effects. For instance, the spacesuit manufacturer requires knowledge of how the suits will interface with the spacecraft, and simulators must be constructed to train astronauts in operating its systems. Jim Free mentioned that NASA intends to update the public soon after fully assimilating the information gathered from the visit to the Starbase facility.