BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA leaders say they need more time to allow teams to work through challenges associated with first-time developments, operations, and integration before the launch of Artemis II, a crewed mission around the moon.
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It will also mean a delay for Artemis III, the agency’s next lunar landing with astronauts.
Artemis II was scheduled to launch from Florida’s Space Coast in November of this year.
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This afternoon, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Artemis II will launch in September of 2025, and Artemis III will launch in September of 2026.
Teams are taking a closer look at the performance of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield.
Read: NASA delays Artemis mission timeline
“It’s supposed to char, but we were not expecting some pieces of that char to be liberated from the vehicle,” Deputy Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya explained.
Teams are also troubleshooting a battery concern on the spacecraft and addressing issues with a component responsible for air ventilation and temperature control.
The agency says crew safety is driving the new Artemis timeline.
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