NASA delays Artemis moon missions

NASA’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon have been delayed — again.

The agency announced Tuesday that its next Artemis mission, which was to send three astronauts on a flight around the moon in a next-generation capsule, will launch in September 2025 rather than later this year.

A subsequent mission to actually land astronauts on the lunar surface near the moon’s south pole will be delayed to September 2026.

“We are returning to the moon in a way we never have before, and the safety of our astronauts is NASA’s top priority as we prepare for future Artemis missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

The latest setback follows years of holdups and budget overruns with NASA’s Artemis program. The agency has spent more than $42 billion over more than a decade on developing a new megarocket and spacecraft to take astronauts back to the moon.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.