"NASA Pushes Back Artemis Moon Missions to 2026"

NASA has announced a delay in its Artemis program, pushing back the first crewed mission to send astronauts around the moon and back from late 2024 to at least September 2025, with the first astronaut moon landing now scheduled for September 2026. The delay is attributed to safety concerns and the need for more time to address technical challenges with first-time developments and integration. The Artemis 2 mission is now targeted for September 2025, while Artemis 3, which will send humans to the lunar south pole for the first time, is scheduled for September 2026. The delay is also due to issues with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield and critical batteries, as well as the need for SpaceX's Starship lunar lander to complete multiple test flights before the Artemis 3 lunar landing.