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Space & Astronomy

Spacesuit delay scuppers 2024 Moon landing

By T.K. Randall
August 11, 2021 · Comment icon 6 comments

The xEMU spacesuit that will be worn on the Moon. Image Credit: NASA
A new report has cast serious doubt on the feasibility of NASA's plan to land humans on the Moon in 2024.
Back in 2019, Vice President Mike Pence announced that US astronauts would walk on the lunar surface within a mere 5 years through NASA's ongoing Artemis program.

"Since the end of Apollo 11, we've forged incredible breakthroughs in our technology that have allowed us to go further, more safely in space than ever before," he said.

"We have the technology to go the moon and renew American leadership in human space exploration."

"Just as the United States was the first nation to reach the moon in the 20th century, so too will we be the first nation to return astronauts to the Moon in the 21st century."

While great progress has been made since then, it is looking increasingly unlikely that the goal of placing astronauts on the lunar surface by 2024 will actually happen.

The most recent nail in the coffin comes courtesy of an audit by NASA's Office of Inspector General which reported that the required spacesuits will not be ready in time.

Despite a budget of over $1 billion, the first suits won't be available until "2025 at the earliest."

"Given these anticipated delays in spacesuit development, a lunar landing in late 2024 as NASA currently plans is not feasible," the report reads.

Unveiled in 2019, the new next-generation spacesuit - known as xEMU - has been designed specifically for use with the Artemis program.

Without it, the program could find itself grinding to a halt.

Source: The Verge | Comments (6)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by OverSword 3 years ago
Man, if I owned the company with that contract heads would roll.
Comment icon #2 Posted by L.A.T.1961 3 years ago
Another job that should have gone to Elon, SpaceX could probably have produced one on time and to spec while being made from recycled plastic bags. 
Comment icon #3 Posted by Hammerclaw 3 years ago
NASA is a bloated, outdated government dinosaur, operating like they still hold a monopoly on space travel. SpaceX will land on the moon without them.
Comment icon #4 Posted by Poncho_Peanatus 3 years ago
seems Elon is volunteering
Comment icon #5 Posted by Jon the frog 3 years ago
Givin all to Elon is just crating another monopoly ... still he would get the job done for a while.
Comment icon #6 Posted by OverSword 3 years ago
That will probably be the reality sooner rather than later.  And that company will probably operate from orbit and laugh at regulations created by earthbound governments.


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