CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA disclosed on Tuesday that astronauts will face additional delays before embarking on moon missions, with the crew landing postponed until September 2026. The space agency attributed the delays to safety concerns related to its spacecraft, as well as developmental challenges with moonsuits and landers from private industry.
Initially planned for late this year, NASA rescheduled sending four astronauts around the moon to September 2025. Simultaneously, the first human moon landing in over 50 years was pushed from 2025 to September 2026.
“Safety is our top priority,” emphasized NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, asserting that the delays allow the Artemis teams more time to address challenges.
The announcement coincided with a Pittsburgh company abandoning its lunar landing attempt due to a mission-ending fuel leak. Astrobotic Technology’s Peregrine lander, launched as part of NASA’s commercial lunar program on Monday, was intended to serve as a scout for astronauts. Another Houston company will attempt a lunar landing next month.
NASA heavily relies on private companies for its Artemis moon-landing program, named after the mythological twin sister of Apollo. SpaceX’s Starship mega rocket is crucial for transporting Artemis moonwalkers between lunar orbit and the surface. However, Starship’s limited successful launches and technical challenges have contributed to the delay. A third test flight is planned for February.
The longer the Starship takes to reach orbit, the more NASA must wait for its first moon landing attempt with astronauts since 1972. Despite the delays, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed confidence that the United States won’t be surpassed by China in sending a crew to the moon.
The Government Accountability Office warned in November of a likely 2027 timeline for NASA’s first astronaut moon landing. Technical challenges, including those related to Elon Musk’s Starship and moonwalking suits by Axiom Space, were cited as potential obstacles.
NASA’s Artemis program has experienced repeated delays over the past decade, contributing billions of dollars to the overall cost. Government audits estimate the total program costs at $93 billion through 2025.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
