Lockheed Martin and SpaceX need time to address “developmental challenges.”
NASA announced this week that the launch date of the new lunar landing project Artemis will be delayed to September 2026. The agency said that the developers who are creating the rockets involved need more time to address challenges encountered in the development process.
Lockheed Martin and SpaceX are heading the bulk of the rocket building, each developing separate spacecraft. Lockheed Martin’s rocket will initially send astronauts to the moon’s surface, after which a SpaceX system will be used to go back and forth between the moon and Earth.
The new schedule “acknowledges the very real development challenges that have been experienced by our industry partners,” said the Moon to Mars Program’s Deputy Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya. NASA had previously estimated the lunar landing mission would take place in late 2025. The delays have pushed the lunar landing mission back almost a year.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For NASA Administrator Bill Nelson as he oversees the plans to land on the moon.
- For Lockheed Martin and SpaceX officials and developers as they create the rockets needed for the lunar landing mission.
- For wisdom for U.S. space officials to ensure the safety and stability of equipment as they prepare for the mission.
Sources: Reuters, NASA
