NASA announced on December 5 that it was postponing its plan to return to the Moon from 2026 to mid-2027 due to heat shield problems and other incidents with the Orion spacecraft.
NASA announced the Artemis program in 2017 as part of its plan to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, while applying the experience gained to a future mission to Mars. The first mission in the program, Artemis 1, was an uncrewed test flight to the Moon and return. This mission took place in 2022, after many delays.
However, a team of experts reviewing the data later discovered that Orion’s heat shield was unexpectedly worn, and the electrical system and life support system also had problems. “We have simulated this problem on Earth and understood the root cause, which allows us to chart a path forward,” said NASA director Bill Nelson.
According to Nelson, Artemis 2, a mission with a crew but not landing on the lunar surface, was delayed from September 2025 to April 2026. Artemis 3, the mission to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon in the south polar region, is expected to take place in mid-2027.
“The event will still take place much earlier than the 2030 mark announced by the Chinese government. Astronaut safety is always the top priority in our decisions. We do not fly until ready,” Nelson added.
In addition to the incidents affecting the Orion spacecraft, NASA is also waiting for SpaceX to complete a modified version of the Starship rocket system to make a lunar lander. Although Elon Musk’s company is rapidly making progress, there is still a long way to go in testing, especially in proving the ability to perform complex refueling procedures in orbit. The spacesuit developed by Axiom is also not complete.
The announcement to postpone the plan to return to the Moon was made as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January and may significantly change NASA’s direction. Trump on December 4 nominated billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Experts predict big changes are on the horizon – from canceling the expensive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket used for Artemis, to skipping the Moon altogether and focusing on Mars.