NASA Confident Artemis III Will Stay on Schedule

NASA still plans to proceed with the Artemis III mission as scheduled despite the explosion of an unmanned Blue Origin rocket during a launch pad test in May, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said.

The Artemis program aims to return astronauts to the Moon in 2028. Artemis III will test critical maneuvers in Earth orbit, with a four member crew aboard the Orion spacecraft practicing docking procedures with SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander.

Isaacman said the parts of the program under NASA's direct control, including the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft, remain on schedule. He added that the agency has contingency plans if Blue Origin's development is delayed again. The company expects to complete repairs to its launch pad and resume flights by the end of the year.

NASA is also monitoring SpaceX's next Starship test, scheduled for this week. The focus will be on the Raptor engines and the heat shield, both of which are critical to the reusable rocket's performance.

Isaacman also welcomed SpaceX's June IPO, saying it had provided one of NASA's key partners with additional financial resources for future development.

(Reuters, bak)