NASA’s Artemis III mission, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon, may face a delay to 2027, according to a report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). The original plan was to launch Artemis III in 2025, marking the first human return to the Moon since 1972.
The GAO identified challenges in the development of the human landing system and spacesuit design, among other issues. The delay could also impact subsequent Artemis missions, pushing Artemis 4 to 2028 and subsequent missions annually starting in 2029. The Artemis program aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. SpaceX’s Starship is intended to serve as the human landing system for Artemis 3.
The GAO report highlighted an ambitious schedule for the Human Landing System program, aiming to complete in 79 months, 13 months shorter than the average for NASA major projects. Delays in SpaceX’s Orbital Flight Test, intended to demonstrate features of the launch vehicle and lander configuration, contributed to setbacks. Challenges in spacesuit design by Axiom, responsible for developing Artemis 3 moonsuits, were also noted, potentially causing further delays.
While NASA and its contractors have made progress, the GAO emphasized the complexity of human spaceflight and suggested that the Artemis III mission is unlikely to occur in 2025 as initially planned. The Artemis program seeks to land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, representing a crucial step in NASA’s broader goals for space exploration, including a future mission to Mars.
