NASA's first Artemis mission was initially set to launch in 2024 but given the recent challenges, the program might be delayed to 2026. NASA Inspector General Paul Martin told the lawmakers during a House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee hearing on March 1 that the first mission is facing delays as of the moment.
The news came amidst a discovery the Curiosity Mars rover made after detecting what seems to be a Martian flower. The first Artemis mission is an important step for the space agency's lunar missions and future space explorations, which includes the Red Planet.
NASA's 1st Artemis Crewed Lunar Landing Delayed to 2026, Inspector General Says
Crewed Artemis Mission Delayed to 2026
According to Space.com, Martin pointed out that the time needed to develop and test the human landing system and the space agency's next-generation spacesuits will not be enough to reach the target date. Due to that, NASA announced last year that its new target date for the lunar landing will be 2025.
Moreover, the Inspector General's recent audit of the Artemis program found a ballooning cost in which around $40 billion has already been spent and NASA estimates it to reach $93 billion by 2025. The delays and extra budget were partly due to technical issues and the protest and lawsuit by Blue Origin concerning the award of the HLS contract to SpaceX's Starship system.
This news came days after NASA announced that the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission would launch not earlier than May. But even this timeline is doubtful because of the amount of data analysis and other elements needed to perform key tests. Martin added that the agency's goal of sending the first crewed mission by 2025 is also not feasible, which means it could further be delayed until 2026.
Likewise, the US Government Accountability Office indicated similar pessimism as they point out that NASA is seeking to manage "multiple risks simultaneously" while trying to meet a very tight deadline. GAO director William Russells said that the delay in HLS and spacesuit development, plus the cost growth and other key infrastructure should be addressed to achieve the 2025 goal.
Curiosity Mars Rover Sends Photo of Martian Rover
The delay in the Artemis program also means a delay in the Mars mission. According to Technology Review, the Artemis program is perfect for establishing a follow-up program to travel Mars. There are essential things on Mars that can be proven on the Moon almost immediately when the crewed Artemis III mission lands on the lunar surface.
The news about the possible delay of the first Artemis mission came on the same day that NASA JPL announced a bizarre discovery by the Curiosity Mars rover. JPL wrote on their website that the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on Curiosity's robotic arm captured an image of what seems to be a flower.
The image was taken on February 24, 2022, on its 3,396th Martian day (sol) of the mission. Alongside the "flower" were spherical rock artifacts believed to be made in the ancient past.
Curiosity Mars rover deputy project scientist Abigail Fraeman said that their team had seen these similar small features before that formed when mineralizing fluids traveled through conduits of the rock. These minerals appear to be eroded from sedimentary rock and cemented by mineral-rich groundwater. Images of these rocks help scientists understand the history of liquid water in the Gale Crater.
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Check out more news and information on Artemis Mission and Mars in Science Times.