NASA pushes back Artemis 2 and 3 missions, sets new dates for crewed moon landings- Details

NASA has revised the Artemis programme schedule and delayed key missions, including Artemis 2 and 3, to ensure better preparation and address technical challenges for lunar exploration.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Dec 09 2024, 17:15 IST
NASA James Webb telescope finds Black Hole ‘eating’ matter at a shocking rate
NASA Artemis mission timeline
1/5 A black hole named LID 568 has been observed consuming matter at a speed 40 times greater than previously thought possible. (NOIRLab)
NASA Artemis mission timeline
2/5 Interestingly, LID 568 has surpassed the Eddington Limit—the rate at which an object can consume matter and emit light in the universe. This discovery was made using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. This finding is quite shocking, as it was previously deemed impossible for a black hole to exceed this limit. (Unsplash)
NASA Artemis mission timeline
3/5 The discovery provides new insights, helping scientists understand why black holes, particularly massive ones, existed so early in the universe’s formation. It offers one possible explanation for the presence of such large black holes in the early universe. This discovery was achieved by researchers at NOIRLab. (NASA)
NASA Artemis mission timeline
4/5 What Are Black Holes? Simply put, a black hole is a region in spacetime where gravity is so intense that not even light can escape. Black holes are incredibly dense objects surrounded by a boundary known as the event horizon. The event horizon isn’t a solid surface like a planet’s; rather, it consists of all the matter that the black hole has drawn in. (NASA)
NASA Artemis mission timeline
5/5 Based on scientific research, black holes can be formed in several ways, though one of the most widely accepted theories is that they form when a massive star undergoes a supernova explosion. (Pixabay)
NASA Artemis mission timeline
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NASA has delayed the Artemis 2 and 3 missions, pushing their timelines to 2026 and 2027. (NASA)

NASA has announced a revision to its Artemis programme schedule, pushing back key missions to allow more time for technical adjustments. The Artemis 2 mission, which is set to send four astronauts on a journey around the Moon, has been delayed from September 2025 to April 2026. Meanwhile, the Artemis 3 mission, which will feature a crewed lunar landing, has been rescheduled from late 2026 to mid-2027. The delays are mainly due to the need for additional preparation of the Orion spacecraft and its systems.

Artemis 1 Mission Challenges

NASA identified several challenges during the Artemis 1 mission, an uncrewed mission conducted in late 2022. The heat shield on Orion showed unexpected wear during reentry, a result of gases trapped in the shield during its "skip" reentry trajectory. This caused uneven ablation, but NASA has since reassured the public that the spacecraft's safety was not compromised. The space agency has since planned adjustments for Artemis 2 to reduce the amount of time Orion spends in critical temperature ranges during reentry.

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Ongoing Preparations for Artemis 2

In addition to the heat shield adjustments, NASA has been working on improving Orion's environmental control and battery systems. The heat shield installed in mid-2023 for Artemis 2 will undergo further testing to address the concerns raised during the earlier mission. Changes to the spacecraft's reentry path are also being made to bring it closer to the recovery zone near San Diego, improving safety measures.

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Impact of Starship Development on Artemis 3

Artemis 3's delay is also affected by the ongoing development of SpaceX's Starship, which will serve as the lunar lander for the mission. Despite progress, Starship remains in the testing phase, requiring NASA to adjust its plans accordingly. Although these delays have shifted the timeline, NASA remains focused on advancing its lunar exploration objectives and is committed to establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

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First Published Date: 09 Dec, 17:15 IST
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