Nasa has delayed its Artemis programme – a series of missions that will take US astronauts back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years – to 2026 and beyond.
The Artemis programme was formally established in 2017 and launched its first uncrewed mission in November 2022 using the long-delayed Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Artemis II was originally planned to take place this year and would have been the first scheduled crewed mission since 1972, with four astronauts performing a flyby of the Moon before returning to Earth. This would have been followed by a crewed landing on the Moon for Artemis III in 2025.
However, in a press conference the agency confirmed that it is now targeting April 2026 for Artemis II and mid-2027 for Artemis III. The delay will give Nasa time to ensure that the Orion capsule’s environmental control and life support systems are robust enough to ensure the safety of the astronauts on the upcoming missions.
The extra caution follows the unmanned launch of...