The Artemis 3 mission, which is now tentatively scheduled to fly in December 2025, may have to wait until at least 2027. NASA’s endeavor to return humans to the moon for the first time since the Apollo program with the Artemis 3 mission will likely be delayed because it is jeopardized by “multiple challenges” and an ambitious schedule, the U.S. Government Accountability Office announced Thursday (Nov. 30). Based on interviews with NASA and industry officials and reviewing documentation, the GAO reported it found a significant amount of pending technical work…
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Artemis 2 moon astronauts autograph their own rocket 1 year before launch
The next four moon astronauts signed their names Monday (Nov. 27) on a rocket piece that will send them to lunar realms in late 2024, only one year from now. The Artemis 2 crew, amid moon training, put their signatures on the adapter for their Orion spacecraft, which will be mounted on top of the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The four astronauts, clad in cleanroom wear, did the ceremonial activity at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The adapter will sit just underneath the astronauts’ Orion…
Read MoreWatch NASA build Artemis 2 astronaut moon rocket boosters ahead of 2024 launch (video)
A new timelapse shows a moon rocket for astronauts under construction at NASA, ahead of the 2024 launch. The twin rocket boosters for Artemis 2 will add oomph to NASA‘s powerful Space Launch System rocket, which will launch four astronauts on a mission to the moon in 2024. Each Northrop Grumman-made solid rocket booster weighs 1.6 million pounds (720,000 kg), which NASA officials have said is the equivalent mass of four blue whales. The massive boosters arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) by train in early October, following construction…
Read MoreAstronauts test moon camera design for future Artemis missions
A new camera designed for upcoming crewed missions to the moon has been tested by astronauts in lunar-like environments on Earth. The Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC) was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA’s Artemis imagery team. Made from off-the-shelf cameras, according to a statement from ESA, this prototype underwent testing in Lanzarote, Spain, as part of the PANGAEA training program, which prepares astronauts for future missions to the moon. As part of field science training, an international crew tested the capabilities of the camera in simulated…
Read MoreAxiom Space partners with fashion house Prada to design Artemis 3 moon suits
A new partnership is taking the concept of haute couture to new heights. Axiom Space, a Houston-based spaceflight services company, has joined forces with the Italian luxury fashion house Prada to design the spacesuits for the next astronauts to walk on the moon. “We are thrilled to partner with Prada on the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit,” Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom, said in a statement. “Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort…
Read MoreAll aboard! Train tugs Artemis 2 moon rocket parts to the NASA launch center (photos, video)
Rocket pieces for the first human moon mission in 50 years glided into their launch center via rail. NASA‘s massive rocket booster segments, too large to ship by other means, safely arrived at a Florida railyard for a “turning point” in launching Artemis 2 and four astronauts around the moon late next year, agency officials stated on Sept. 25. The boosters will support the agency’s powerful Space Launch System rocket during the moon mission’s launch in 2024. The SLS, the most powerful rocket ever built, will nevertheless require help from…
Read MoreHere’s how Artemis 2 astronauts will exercise, sleep and use the toilet on their moon mission (photos)
Just like any long camping trip, the first human moon mission to the moon in 50 years requires a lot of training just to get comfortable with everyday living. The Artemis 2 astronauts and ground teams are preparing for the first liftoff of the Artemis program with people on board. The round-the-moon mission is scheduled to lift off in late 2024 to set up NASA and its partner agencies for future lunar landings. The Orion spacecraft that will carry four astronauts to the moon and back is currently under construction,…
Read MoreNew wristwatch bridges Apollo to Artemis with touch of real moon dust
There is an allure to moon dust. Just like its unique adhesive properties, causing it to stick to everything it touches, it tends to draw the attention of everyone who sees it, regardless their walk of life. It is appropriate then that Col&MacArthur named its moon dust-infused timepiece the LUNAR1,622. “It’s the gravity on the moon,” said Sebastien Colen, founder and CEO of the Belgium-based watch company, referring to the numerical designation of their new release and the gravitational pull of the moon as compared to Earth. “Every time we…
Read MoreSee Artemis 2 astronauts explore moon-like crater in Canada (photos)
Astronauts for the Artemis 2 moon mission, along with potential future lunar crews, practiced their prospecting skills on a Canadian crater this month. The expedition included Artemis 2 moon astronaut Jeremy Hansen, with the Canadian Space Agency, and NASA astronaut Christina Koch. The two will be mission specialists aboard Artemis 2, the first moon mission to send humans around our neighboring satellite since 1972. While Hansen and Koch will not be landing on the moon, geology training will assist them with spotting features like craters from afar. Space agencies around…
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