Artemis Moon Landing Unlikely Until 2027
A report released by the Government Accountability Office indicates that delays in manufacturing both SpaceX’s moon lander and Axiom spacesuits are likely to prohibit NASA from making a moon landing in 2025. Expectations should be set towards a 2027 landing based on precedent, the report stated.
While important milestones have been met by NASA and its associates, the development of a human landing system and spacesuits is being hampered by several complications. An attempt to expedite the moon landing system’s creation by more than a year is a cause for the skepticism expressed by the report.
Despite NASA’s official Artemis III launch target of late 2025, the agency has been contemplating the possibility of repurposing the mission if a moon landing isn’t possible in the near future. An official announcement regarding this has not been made yet.
The Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972. The possibility of the first woman walking on the moon is part of NASA’s ambitious objective.
A hiatus of nearly six days is expected for the Artemis III mission, after which, astronauts will return to Earth using the SpaceX-built HLS system. In regards to this, SpaceX must finish significant work before the mission commences, according to the report.
Challenges also persist in the development of new spacesuits. NASA and Axiom Space have faced obstacles including supply chain problems and the need to redesign certain aspects of their product.
In summation, the report concludes that the complexities involved in developing both the moon landing system and spacesuits makes it unlikely for a moon landing to occur before 2027. Late 2025 is still the targeted launch date, but alterations to the mission appear increasingly likely due to the multiple developmental challenges.
