"NASA's Starship Launch Delayed as Investigation Grounds Spacecraft"

NASA's goal of returning astronauts to the moon may face further delays as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigates the midair explosion of a SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy during its first orbital test flight. The incident triggered an FAA investigation, putting orbital flight tests on hold. NASA had awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract to develop Starship as the human landing system for the Artemis program. However, Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development, stated that the Artemis III mission is unlikely to happen before 2026 due to the need for extensive orbital flight testing by SpaceX. The company must demonstrate its ability to construct a fuel depot in orbit and execute an uncrewed moon landing before proceeding with the crewed mission. The FAA is also facing a lawsuit from environmental organizations regarding the environmental impacts of the SpaceX launch program.