NASA announced it was scrapping today’s Artemis I launch to the moon citing weather concerns and other technical challenges including a fuel leak, reported Reuters.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, tropical storm Ian is expected to hit Florida, home to the Kennedy Space Center, this week.
Artemis I, an un-crewed test flight, is expected to take the U.S. back to the moon after five decades signalling a major turning point for NASA’s post-Apollo human spaceflight program, after decades focused on low-Earth orbit with space shuttles and the International Space Station.
Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars.
Named for the goddess who was Apollo’s twin sister in ancient Greek mythology, Artemis aims to return astronauts to the moon’s surface as early as 2025, though many experts believe that time frame will likely slip.
[Reuters]
