The launch of Artemis II is being postponed

"The NASA's 'Artemis' mission aims to return to the Moon. The original schedule for this endeavor, set to happen later this year, has, however, experienced delays. A previous US mission had failed in attempting a lunar landing.

Due to issues with the rocket and spacecraft, NASA has postponed the planned manned lunar orbit mission, 'Artemis II,' originally scheduled for November 2024, to September 2025. The scheduled manned Moon landing, 'Artemis III,' will consequently be pushed to September 2026, as confirmed by NASA during a press conference. 'Artemis IV,' another planned lunar landing, remains targeted for September 2028.

NASA Chief Bill Nelson emphasized the immense challenges of the mission, stating that safety is of the utmost priority. Therefore, the teams are given more time to address the current challenges.

Originally, US astronaut Christina Koch, along with colleagues Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, were slated to fly around the Moon for about ten days in the 'Orion' capsule in November 2024.

Meanwhile, the first attempt at a US Moon landing in over half a century failed. Astrobotic Technology reported that due to a fuel leak and issues with solar cells, it was no longer possible to gently land the 'Peregrine' lander on the lunar surface. The cause of the damage remains open. Astrobotic now intends to keep the lander in space as long as possible to gain insights for the next Moon flight in about a year. By aligning the spacecraft with the Sun, the battery has been fully charged, providing about 40 hours of remaining energy.

The unmanned 'Peregrine' lander, which was supposed to land on the Moon on February 23 as the first US spacecraft in 50 years, cost $108 million (approximately €98.5 million). The USA last landed on the Moon in 1972. Astrobotic from Pittsburgh aimed to be the first commercial company to land on the Moon. A competitor from Houston shares the same goal and could become the first private company to touch down on the lunar surface in February. Moon landings have so far been achieved only by the space agencies of four countries: the Soviet Union, the USA, China, and India."