NASA Watchdog Says Astronauts Return To Moon By 2024 “Impossible” Due To Space Suit Delays

by



[ad_1]

Even though NASA will have spent more than $ 1 billion on next-generation spacesuits, Martin concluded that “the suits would not be flight-ready until April 2025 at the earliest” and are “years away from them. completion”.

The report attributes the delays to funding gaps, the impacts of Covid-19 and technical challenges. Currently, there are 27 different companies that provide various components for the suits. SpaceX’s Elon Musk said on Twitter that the report gives the impression “like too many cooks in the kitchen“, adding that”SpaceX could do it if need be. ”
SpaceX won a $ 2.9 billion contract with NASA in April to develop the lunar lander for the Artemis program. But the award of this contract was delayed due to a protest from two competitors, Blue Origin and Dynetics. The Inspector General said the protests, combined with delays from the NASA space launch system and the Orion capsule, also contributed to NASA’s inability to meet its 2024 landing target. resulted in a delay of about 20 months in the delivery schedule of the flight suits, according to the report.

“I’m soberly realistic. The goal is 2024, but space is difficult. And we know that when you push the boundaries, there are often delays. There is a # 1 factor and that is safety. , and that involves humans. There could be a delay, but the target is end of 2024. “

NASA designs new spacesuits for the next lunar mission in 2024

Former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver has previously criticized the 2024 timeline and compared the Artemis program to the parable of the Unclothed Emperor.

In response to the report’s release, Garver told CNN, “Unfortunately, I don’t think the Emperor left much clothing under the spacesuit either.”

An audit was conducted between August 2020 and July 2021 to examine the development of NASA’s next-generation space suits needed for the International Space Station and Artemis missions that will return humans to the moon later this decade.

The development of new space suits is essential to “bring humans back to the moon, continue operations safely on the International Space Station and explore Mars and other deep space sites,” according to the report.

These extravehicular mobility units, or EMUs, include the spacesuit and the equipment that astronauts use to connect to the ISS and other spacecraft.

Blue Origin protest against NASA's SpaceX lunar contract denied

“Currently, astronauts use EMUs designed 45 years ago for the space shuttle program and rely on these renovated and partially redesigned space suits for extravehicular activities on the ISS,” according to the report.

The development of new space suit technology has been underway at NASA for 14 years. Five years ago, work began on the exploration extravehicular mobility units, or xEMU project. Two flight-ready xEMUs, as well as a test suit and a demo suit for the ISS, are also needed before this historic lunar landing.

The report noted that the inability to complete the suits before the planned November 2024 mission, known as Artemis III, is not the only factor impacting the schedule.

Recommendations to get back on your feet

To ensure xEMUs are completed, the report made four recommendations, including adjusting the schedule to reduce development risks and creating a master schedule that brings together material and training needs.

NASA's new chief on SpaceX's Mars rocket, UFOs and return to the moon

The document also suggests to “ensure that the technical requirements for the next generation suits are solidified before selecting the acquisition strategy to purchase suits for the ISS and Artemis programs” and to ensure that this strategy meets the needs of both programs.

“The moon landing is based on the HLS program, which is in the early stages of the design phase, but has specific requirements for technical capability, functionality and overall size of the suits,” according to the report. “However, the suits are also needed as soon as possible by the ISS program to replace aging suits that have exceeded their lifespan by more than 25 years, requiring expensive maintenance to keep astronauts safe. , NASA has struggled to align these timelines with mission needs. “

After receiving a draft report, NASA management accepted the recommendations and plan to respond to them.

“NASA intends to conduct a demonstration prior to the first manned Artemis mission” by June 2022, according to a letter from Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator of the Exploration and Human Operations Mission Directorate of NASA, which was included in the report.

The agency released a statement regarding the report on Tuesday.

“Sending the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface and establishing a long-term presence on the Moon under Artemis is a priority for NASA. The agency is evaluating the current budget and schedule for Artemis missions and will provide a update later this year, “the statement said.

The goal of landing the first woman and the next man on the moon was set by the Trump administration originally for 2028, and then postponed to November 2024. In addition to adopting the goal, the Biden administration added to seek to land the first person of color. on the moon to the goal of the program.

Rachel Crane of CNN contributed to this story.



[ad_2]

Source link