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NASA watch live: Space agency confirms Artemis moon mission delayed

Top NASA officials have announced the Artemis II mission, part of a long-running moon exploration programme, has been delayed. The mission aims to launch four astronauts around the moon.

Thursday 5 December 2024 19:35, UK

NASA's Orion crew capsule, expected to carry four astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth on the Artemis II mission, is shown as preparation for launch continues at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., August 8, 2023. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
Image: This capsule is due to take four astronauts around the moon and back to Earth on the mission. Pic: Reuters
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Key points
  • NASA confirms Artemis II mission has been delayed until 2026 
  • Four astronauts were due to be sent around the moon on the Orion spacecraft next year
  • The mission is part of the US space agency's aim to establish a long-term presence on the moon
  • This stream has now ended 
NASA confirms Artemis mission has been delayed

This stream has now ended - but here's a quick rundown of what we learned. 

NASA announced its Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 has been delayed. 

It has decided to push back the next two planned missions, Artemis II and Artemis III, until 2026 and 2027. 

 The delay came after NASA concluded an examination of the Orion crew capsule, made by Lockheed Martin, and its heat shield, which had malfunctioned during reentry into Earth's atmosphere during a 2022 flight. 

The Artemis program was established by NASA during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration with the goal of returning astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission.

The program is intended to establish a lunar base as a step toward the more ambitious goal of human missions to Mars.

What do you need to know?

NASA is holding a news conference to give an update on the space agency's Artemis II mission.

What is the mission?
In September 2025, the Artemis II mission will see four astronauts fly around the moon on the Orion spacecraft. 

It is hoped that the 10-day flight will help NASA return astronauts to the moon and establish a long-term presence there for exploration.

It will be NASA's first mission with a crew aboard the Space Launch System rocket (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.

"The unique Artemis II mission profile will build upon the uncrewed Artemis I flight test by demonstrating a broad range of SLS and Orion capabilities needed on deep space missions," Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, said.

"This mission will prove Orion's critical life support systems are ready to sustain our astronauts on longer duration missions ahead, and allow the crew to practice operations essential to the success of Artemis III."

What happened during Artemis I?

In 2022, Artemis I took off from Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.

The mission was made up of three stages.

The first was a 42-day uncrewed flight around the moon. It tested the huge rocket and the Orion spacecraft.

While in space it deployed 10 CubeSats (a type of miniaturised satellite), which performed a variety of work in deep space, from studying how radiation affects DNA to hunting for water ice on the moon.

It then splashed into the Pacific Ocean after nearly 26 days in space on 22 November 2022.

What are the hopes for Artemis III?

The Artemis III mission blasts off in 2026, and aims to help scientists learn more about how the moon formed and evolved, and whether humans could live there.

Orion and a crew of four will once again travel to the moon, this time to make history with the first woman and next man to walk on its surface.