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More than 50 years since humans last walked on the Moon – why has NASA stepped back again?
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NASA has announced an unexpected shift in its Artemis programme, with the previously pivotal Artemis III mission no longer set to carry astronauts to the lunar surface.
The decision was outlined by NASA’s newly confirmed administrator, Jared Isaacman, who said the ultimate goal — returning humans to the Moon — remains unchanged, but the timetable had to be aligned with the programme’s real technical readiness. In recent months the effort has been dogged by delays and technical issues, while professional criticism of the mission has also intensified.
Shortly before the announcement, an independent space safety panel described the original Artemis III concept as particularly risky. According to the report, the mission’s objectives were too ambitious relative to the current level of readiness, and it urged a reassessment of the programme.
Isaacman indicated that NASA will return to the proven logic of the Apollo era, advancing through smaller, sequential steps and incorporating lessons from each preceding flight. As he put it, the agency needs to “get back to basics”.
The last time humans visited the Moon was in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. NASA astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt walked on the surface, while their crewmate Ronald Evans remained in lunar orbit. Cernan was the last person to leave the Moon — and no human has returned since.
Fresh technical issues before launch
Uncertainty around the programme largely stems from a string of technical problems. Engineers most recently identified a helium flow anomaly in the upper stage of the Space Launch System rocket, prompting further checks, but this was not the first warning sign.
In February, a hydrogen leak forced the cancellation of a launch attempt, reinforcing concerns that the system is not yet fully mature.
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