NASA's Artemis 3 mission may not land astronauts on Moon
NASA's Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for December 2025, may not land a crew on the Moon. Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said that specific components would have to be ready for the mission, including the landing system that's being built by SpaceX. Free stated if the landing system isn't ready, NASA may fly a different mission.
SpaceX's Starship is far from ready
The Artemis program aims to establish a sustained presence on the Moon and develop technologies for future Mars missions. Elon Musk-led SpaceX landed a contract for the lunar landing system, based on its Starship rocket. However, Starship is still far from ready given the test flight in April resulted in an explosion. NASA officials recently visited SpaceX's Starbase facility to understand their progress.
Delays with Starship may affect spacesuit contractors
Free called the Starbase visit insightful but expressed concern due to the lack of launches. He pointed out the need for multiple tests before the Starship rocket can be called ready. Delays with Starship can also affect spacesuit contractors. Spacesuit manufacturers need to know how the suits will interface with the spacecraft and simulators have to be constructed to train astronauts.
NASA's Artemis 2 and 3 mission plans
NASA will provide updates after further evaluating information from the Starbase visit. The Artemis 1 mission successfully sent an uncrewed spacecraft around the Moon in 2022. Artemis 2, which is planned for November 2024, will carry a crew around the Moon, without landing. Artemis 3 is intended to mark NASA's first human landing on the Moon since 1972.
