NASA’s ambitious plan to send humans back to the Moon by 2025 may not take off as scheduled, according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report warns that the Artemis III mission, which aims to land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface, faces several technical and schedule risks that could push the launch date to 2027 or later.
The Human Landing System is “exceptionally optimistic”
The GAO report, released on Thursday, says that NASA’s current schedule for developing the Human Landing System (HLS) – the spacecraft that will ferry the astronauts from the Orion capsule to the Moon and back – is “exceptionally optimistic.” NASA expects to complete the HLS development in just 79 months from contract award to launch readiness, which is 13 months shorter than the average for other major NASA projects.
However, the report notes that the HLS development has experienced significant delays due to various factors, such as the explosion of SpaceX’s Starship prototype during its first high-altitude test flight. SpaceX is one of the three companies that NASA has contracted to design and build the HLS, along with Blue Origin and Dynetics. The Starship test was delayed by seven months and resulted in a total loss of the vehicle.
Starship launches off the pad under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster.
The report also points out that SpaceX faces a considerable amount of complex technical work to make Starship capable of landing on and taking off from the Moon, which has a different gravity and environment than Earth. The report says that SpaceX has not yet demonstrated how it will meet NASA’s requirements for safety, reliability, and performance for the HLS.
Another challenge that NASA faces is the development of new spacesuits that the astronauts will wear during the lunar exploration. The report says the current spacesuits are outdated and unsuitable for the Moon’s harsh conditions. NASA has contracted Axiom Space to develop the next-generation spacesuits unveiled earlier this year. However, the report says that the spacesuits still need extensive testing and verification to ensure they can provide enough emergency oxygen, thermal protection, and mobility for the astronauts.
The report concludes that NASA’s current schedule for the Artemis III mission is “unrealistic” and recommends that the agency update its schedule to reflect the progress and risks of the HLS and spacesuit development. The report also suggests that NASA should establish a contingency plan if the HLS or spacesuits are not ready by the planned launch date.
The Artemis III mission is part of NASA’s goal to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. The first mission of the Artemis program, Artemis I, was successfully launched in November 2020, and the Orion capsule was tested in a 25-day orbit around the Moon. The second mission, Artemis II, is scheduled for 2023 and will send a crew of four astronauts around the Moon in the Orion capsule. The third mission, Artemis III, is supposed to land two astronauts on the Moon’s south pole, where they will explore the lunar terrain and collect samples for about a week.
What does the report signify?
However, the GAO report casts doubt on whether NASA will be able to achieve this historic feat by 2025, as originally planned. The report says that the earliest possible launch date for Artemis III is 2027, based on the current status and risks of the HLS and spacesuit development. The report also warns that further delays are possible, depending on the technical challenges and funding issues that NASA may encounter.
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The report comes as a blow to NASA and its partners, who have been working hard to revive the human exploration of the Moon after nearly five decades since the last Apollo mission. The report also raises questions about the feasibility and affordability of the Artemis program, which has been estimated to cost about $30 billion over the next decade. The report urges NASA to reassess its schedule and budget for the Artemis program and communicate the realistic expectations and challenges to Congress and the public.
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Rizwan Choudhury Rizwan is a writer and journalist with a background in Mass Communication Journalism, Public Administration, and Political Science. He has covered subjects, spanning from technology and culture to business and automotive industries. He has written for publication platforms such as Mashable, Pinkvilla, Economic Times Auto, and PTI. In his free time, he enjoys sketching, reading, and exploring music, movies, and comics.
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