NASA's Artemis 3 mission intended to land astronauts on the Moon for advancement in Space exploration appears to be delayed, with expectations potentially pushed to at least 2027. Initially this crewed lunar landing was tentatively set for December 2025.
On Thursday, November 30, the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) outlined the challenges NASA confronts in its programs. The GAO specifically highlights "multiple challenges" and an ambitious schedule as factors jeopardising NASA's attempt to return humans to the moon through the Artemis 3 mission. This marks the first such attempt since the Apollo program.
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GAO Findings : Slow Progressand delays in all departments ?
For the preparation of the report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) thoroughly examined NASA's data, documentation, and policies. The evaluation included an analysis of contract documentation, contractor risk charts, and technology maturation plans. Moreover, the government agency conducted interviews with officials from NASA and representatives within the industry.
NASA and its partners with some progress still face challenges in the development of the lunar lander and incorporating larger oxygen tanks. Delays in certain flight tests have also potentially impacted the next scheduled tests.
The GAO's findings indicate a significant amount of pending technical tasks for the Human Landing System (HLS), which relies on SpaceX's Starship and functions as NASA's means of transportation to the moon's surface. The HLS program aims to conclude the development in 79 months, 13 months shorter than the average for major NASA projects which seems unrealistic due to the project's complexity.
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The HLS has encountered delays, with eight out of 13 key events experiencing postponements of at least six months. Two of these events were rescheduled to 2025, the initially planned year for the lander's launch.
Orbital Flight Test, designed to demonstrate specific features of the launch vehicle and lander configuration was originally set for April 2023 but was delayed for seven months. The Test was then prematurely terminated when the test vehicle deviated from its expected trajectory, entering a tumbling motion.
HLS faces a challenge as it is projected to use up the fuel with just reaching orbit, requiring refuelling before the lunar journey. To Fix this, there is a multi-step process, beginning with establishing a Starship fuel depot in orbit, as Elon Musk’s plan. Then, multiple tankers would be dispatched to transfer methane and liquid oxygen into the depot, ensuring it is fully refuelled before initiating the mission to the moon. SpaceX is working on complex tasks for the Artemis 3 mission, like storing and transferring fuel in space. However the Progress is Slow.
The launch date is being impacted by design changes in space suits. Axiom Space revealed a prototype this year, intending to lease it for NASA's Artemis moon landing missions. Despite achieving two milestones in development, the latest GAO report suggests that the space suits are still in the early stages of advancement.
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