Ex-NASA Chief Warns Artemis Lander Plan Is Too Complex for 2028 Moon Return

Former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine says Artemis' crewed lunar landers are far more complex than Apollo’s design, warning the architecture could bite the program as Artemis 3 and Artemis 4 rely on SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon, both of which face delays and require multiple launches and refueling. He notes NASA’s plan to test both landers in orbit ahead of a 2028 lunar landing, the possibility of reopening lander contracts due to delays, and argues for pursuing a simpler, quicker path to the moon.