All articles tagged with #artemis
Using agent-based modeling, a George Mason University team finds six astronauts on a lunar base would yield the best productivity and resilience in an isolated habitat, assuming biweekly resupply; four-astronaut scenarios fare worse, highlighting the importance of mission design, resupply timing, and crew dynamics over training alone.
NASA chief Jared Isaacman warns China could beat the US to landing astronauts on the Moon, turning the rivalry into a resource- and infrastructure-driven race that may shape Artemis timelines—with Artemis III targeted for 2028, regular lunar access by 2029, and a permanent lunar base by the early 2030s.
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.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is stepping down from his full-time role with the Canadian Space Agency to transition into an ongoing space-support position, while remaining a Royal Canadian Air Force reservist; he helped lead Artemis II and says the mission continues for Canada.
NASA awarded $590 million in lunar lander contracts to Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines as part of the Artemis program, aiming for a crewed Moon landing at the lunar south pole by 2028. The move underscores a growing commercial lunar economy and has geopolitical heft in the U.S.–China space rivalry, with SpaceX and related space ETFs drawing investor attention alongside these private landers.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says the U.S. is in a space race with China as both nations push lunar milestones: China targets a moon landing before 2030, while the U.S. plans to land in 2028 under Artemis, with NASA pursuing a sustained Moon presence and moon-base infrastructure to enable future missions to Mars.
NASA plans a controlled combustion experiment on the Moon to observe how flames behave under lunar gravity, with four solid-fuel samples in a sealed chamber. The findings aim to improve safety and material-certification standards for future crewed missions under the Artemis program.
NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a human outpost near the Moon’s south pole within the next decade, building on Artemis I’s lunar return and Artemis II’s crewed orbit; Artemis III will test docking with lunar landers in Earth orbit, with Artemis IV possibly placing astronauts near the south pole by 2028. That timeline unfolds as China plans a 2030 moon landing and base, signaling a renewed space race that could shape humanity’s next steps toward Mars.
Space.com envisions that by 2276 the U.S. and other nations will run a thriving off-Earth economy—satellite services, space tourism, in-space manufacturing, and asteroid mining for water, propellants and metals—driving Moon and Mars outposts and continued Artemis-era exploration. Robotics and AI advance toward greater autonomy; life-detection efforts may uncover past or present extraterrestrial life on Mars or icy moons within decades. If humanity avoids political pitfalls and taps asteroid resources, interstellar reach with advanced propulsion could become feasible.
Ars Technica's Ars Live recap features a panel debating when Blue Origin's New Glenn (especially the 9×4 variant) will fly, with no firm debut date and speculation of a late-2027/early-2028 timeline. Experts warn that adding more engines complicates the design and could delay milestones, potentially pushing NASA's Moon-landing plans this decade to rely on SpaceX's Starship rather than waiting for New Glenn. The discussion also touches on past architectural changes and the loss of Launch Complex 36A, highlighting ongoing uncertainty about achieving Artemis-era lunar missions.
Blue Origin outlines a return-to-flight plan for its New Glenn rocket after an anomaly destroyed a pad vehicle, with early analysis pointing to the aft first stage. The company will implement a hybrid horizontal-vertical integration flow at LC-36A, reuse existing infrastructure, and coordinate with NASA on Moon Base timelines as Blue Moon landers advance toward VIPER and Artemis-era missions; the late-2026 return remains the goal, though some milestones may push into 2027.
NASA is considering refurbishing the Mars rover PROMISE (Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration) for a lunar mission as part of its Artemis program. The RTG-powered rover would serve as an Earth-based testbed on the Moon (likely near the south pole) to aid lunar outpost development, while other CLPS landers carry NASA science payloads to the surface. If repurposed, PROMISE would complement upcoming lunar assets and help test technologies for future crewed missions.
NASA outlined Phase 1 of a $30 billion plan to establish a permanent lunar base, awarding about $590 million to Astrobotic, Firefly and Intuitive Machines for four lunar missions and signaling possible use of a Mars rover on the Moon. The effort aims to lay groundwork for future habitats and power infrastructure by the late 2020s, relying on private partners like SpaceX and Blue Origin amid funding and technical hurdles and competing with China’s space program.
The full strawberry moon—the first full moon of summer—will rise this week and peak at 7:57 p.m. ET on Monday, appearing as a micromoon near apogee. In the Northern Hemisphere it will trace the year’s lowest arc, while in the Southern Hemisphere it will reach its highest. Its color can appear warmer or cooler depending on atmospheric conditions, but the Moon’s actual color doesn’t change. For best viewing, head outside to a dark, unobstructed spot. The name comes from Algonquin berry-harvesting season, with other cultures calling it the hoer or blooming moon. The article also lists six more full moons in 2026 (Buck Moon, Sturgeon Moon, Harvest Moon, Hunter’s Moon, Beaver Moon, Cold Moon) and ties this year’s lunar activity to renewed interest in lunar exploration as NASA’s Artemis program advances.
A NASA Inspector General memo shows Artemis program hardware contracted at $2.9B grew to $5.9B by work cessation as mission plans changed (Artemis 4 instead of 3, a single SLS design) and Gateway was canceled, with cost overruns and delays hitting components like the Exploration Upper Stage, Universal Stage Adapter, Mobile Launcher 2, and HALO, prompting NASA to restructure for affordability and schedule realism.