NASA Urged to Reassess artemis Mission Objectives Amid Safety Concerns
ORLANDO,Fla. — The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) is calling on NASA to reevaluate its ambitious plans for the upcoming Artemis missions, citing concerns over the agency’s approach to packing too many first-time objectives into each mission. At a Jan. 30 public meeting,panel members emphasized the risks associated with the high number of unprecedented milestones planned for Artemis 3,the first crewed lunar landing of the campaign,and subsequent missions.
“Each first milestone carries its own individual risk and, as these risks are compounded and aggregated, it only increases the overall risk posture for any individual flight mission,” said Bill Bray, a member of the panel. “It really begs the question, is it time for the agency to reassess the current mission objectives and its approach for Artemis 3 and beyond, with the goal to better balance the risks across all those flight tests?”
ASAP’s concerns are not new. In its most recent annual report, released in early 2024, the panel highlighted 13 separate firsts for Artemis 3, many tied to the Starship lunar lander and new spacesuits being developed by Axiom Space. Since then, the list has grown, with NASA announcing in December that it would reformulate the Avcoat material used in the Orion heat shield for Artemis 3 and later missions to address erosion issues observed during the Artemis 1 reentry.
These risks extend beyond Artemis 3.Later missions will incorporate the lunar Gateway, the Blue Moon crewed lunar lander, and a lunar rover. “Each of these elements under growth and delivery requires a near-perfect program execution across a complex set of tests and milestones and, frankly, there’s very little room for failure,” Bray explained.
he warned that issues with a single key element could lead to “continued launch delays and an irregular and erratic cadence of mission flights,” a concern ASAP has raised before. This, in turn, creates “an increased risk posture” for the Artemis program.
ASAP has urged NASA to adopt a more balanced approach, treating each launch as a test objective, similar to the Apollo program. “We’ve discussed this with amit Kshatriya, deputy associate administrator of NASA’s Moon to Mars Program Office, and we’ll continue to press NASA to reexamine its Artemis mission plans,” Bray said.
Progress on Gateway and Human Landing Systems
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The ASAP meeting followed a panel at the SpaceCom conference,where NASA officials provided updates on the Artemis lunar exploration campaign. Mark Wiese, manager of NASA’s Deep Space Logistics program, revealed that SpaceX had been authorized to proceed with the first mission of the Gateway Logistics Services program in late 2023.
“We spent all of last year working very collaboratively with SpaceX,” Wiese said, noting that Gateway’s logistics needs have “evolved” as the contract was awarded in 2020. This has led to important changes in SpaceX’s approach to delivering cargo. “they’re starting to retool their architecture,” Wiese added, with NASA and SpaceX finalizing a contract modification.
Meanwhile, Kent Chojnacki, deputy manager of NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS) program, reported progress on both SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander.“SpaceX is not shy about advertising their success,” Chojnacki said,highlighting the company’s recent Starship/Super heavy test flights.
For Blue Origin, a key milestone this year will be a critical design review for Blue Moon.“Blue looks more like NASA in that we do a lot of design and development first, then we go build a lot of hardware and test it,” chojnacki explained.
Key Milestones Ahead
Looking ahead, Chojnacki identified an in-space propellant transfer exhibition by SpaceX as a critical milestone for 2025. This technology is essential for sending Starship to the moon, though the schedule could be impacted by the starship anomaly during its Jan.16 test flight.
Summary of Key Concerns and Progress
| Aspect | Details |
|————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| ASAP Concerns | Too many first-time objectives increase risk for Artemis missions. |
| Artemis 3 Firsts | 13+ firsts, including Starship lander, Axiom spacesuits, and Orion heat shield.|
| Gateway Logistics | SpaceX retooling architecture for Gateway cargo delivery. |
| HLS Progress | SpaceX and Blue Origin making significant strides on lunar landers. |
| 2025 Milestones | SpaceX propellant transfer demo; Blue Origin critical design review. |
As NASA continues to push forward with its Artemis program, the agency faces mounting pressure to balance its ambitious goals with the need for safety and reliability. The coming months will be critical in determining whether NASA can address these concerns while maintaining its timeline for returning humans to the moon.
NASA Urged to Reassess Artemis Mission Objectives amid Safety Concerns: An Expert Interview
As NASA advances its Artemis program, aiming to return humans to the moon, the Aerospace Safety advisory Panel (ASAP) has raised critical concerns about the agency’s approach. With an increasing number of first-time objectives and milestones planned for upcoming missions, the balance between ambition and safety has become a pressing issue. In this interview, we sit down with Dr. Elena Morales,a seasoned aerospace engineer and safety expert,to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing NASA’s lunar exploration efforts.
ASAP’s Concerns: Balancing Ambition and safety
Senior Editor: Dr. Morales, ASAP has expressed concerns about the number of first-time objectives in the Artemis missions. could you elaborate on why this poses a meaningful risk?
Dr.Elena Morales: Absolutely. Each first-time objective, whether it’s testing a new lunar lander or spacesuit, carries inherent risks. When you compound these risks across multiple untested systems, as is the case with Artemis 3, the overall mission risk increases exponentially. This isn’t just about technical challenges; it’s about ensuring crew safety and mission success.Bill Bray of ASAP aptly described this as an “increased risk posture” for the program.
artemis 3: A High-Stakes Mission
Senior Editor: Artemis 3 is notably complex, with over 13 first-time milestones. What are the key areas of concern here?
Dr. Elena Morales: Artemis 3 is indeed a pivotal mission. The main concerns revolve around the Starship lunar lander, the new Axiom spacesuits, and the reformulated Orion heat shield. Each of these elements is untested in lunar conditions, and any failure could jeopardize the entire mission. Such as, the heat shield erosion observed during artemis 1’s reentry has necessitated significant design changes, adding another layer of complexity.
Progress on Gateway and Lunar Landers
Senior Editor: NASA is also developing the lunar Gateway and two lunar landers—Starship by SpaceX and Blue Moon by Blue Origin. How is progress shaping up?
Dr. Elena Morales: Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are making significant strides. SpaceX’s Starship has undergone several test flights, though the recent anomaly in January raises some questions about their timeline. Meanwhile, Blue Origin is gearing up for a critical design review for Blue Moon. The Gateway Logistics program is also progressing, with SpaceX retooling its approach to meet NASA’s evolving needs. However, the tight schedule leaves little room for error.
Looking Ahead: Key milestones for 2025
Senior Editor: What are the critical milestones NASA must achieve in the next couple of years to stay on track?
dr. Elena Morales: The in-space propellant transfer demonstration by SpaceX in 2025 is a linchpin for the Artemis program. This technology is essential for Starship’s lunar missions. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander will also undergo a critical design review, which will be a major milestone. These developments are vital, but they hinge on resolving current technical challenges and adhering to a very tight schedule.
Final Thoughts: Balancing Risk and Progress
Senior Editor: What’s your overall assessment of the Artemis program’s trajectory?
Dr. elena Morales: NASA’s ambition is commendable, but ASAP’s concerns highlight the need for a more balanced approach.The agency must prioritize safety and reliability while managing its aspiring timeline. The coming months will be critical in determining whether NASA can address these challenges and achieve its goal of returning humans to the moon by the mid-2020s.
the Artemis program stands at a crossroads. While there’s significant progress in areas like the Gateway and lunar landers, the high number of first-time objectives and tight schedules pose substantial risks.NASA’s ability to balance ambition with safety will be key to the program’s success.
