NASA’s Artemis moon mission program routinely faces various inquiries from government officials, auditors, businesses, and the public about its objectives, timeline, and costs. Recently, a new question was raised regarding the feasibility of the Artemis 3 mission to return U.S. astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time since Apollo: Is the Artemis 3 mission too ambitious? Interestingly, the concern did not come from known critics or rival groups but from NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP). This independent group, focused on safety, reports to both NASA and Congress and has been in existence since the 1967 Apollo 1 tragedy. Their annual report for 2023 raised concerns about the number of “firsts” included in the Artemis 3 objectives.
The ASAP report specifically emphasized the Human Landing System (HLS) element, also known as SpaceX’s lunar version of Starship, and the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) spacesuits. These critical components of the Artemis 3 plan will not be tested during the Artemis 2 mission, making their debut during the high-profile upcoming mission. The report expressed genuine concerns about the cumulative risk associated with these technical firsts and advised NASA to consider redistributing the Artemis 3 milestones among other missions to alleviate pressure for timely execution.
It is suggested that NASA could expand the “Artemis mission” classification beyond Orion capsule flights to encompass other relevant but currently underappreciated initiatives. By doing so, the Artemis missions could be more evenly distributed, reducing the perceived risk highlighted by ASAP and better showcasing the significant milestones toward the long-term goal of a continuous presence on the moon.
In conclusion, ASAP’s report indicates that while Artemis 2 might occur by the already delayed target of late 2025, the extensive list of essential accomplishments that must take place beforehand virtually ensures that Artemis 3 will not launch just 12 months later as currently planned.
