Summary
NASA is privately considering modifications to its Artemis plan to land astronauts on the surface of the Moon later this decade. The planned Artemis III landing of two astronauts on Moon is nominally scheduled for September 2026. The crew would then return to Earth in a mission similar to Apollo 9. NASA is considering sending a crew to a small space station near the Moon, the Lunar Gateway, and then returning to Earth. Ars asked for an interview with Catherine Koerner, a deputy associate administrator who oversees Exploration Systems Development for NASA. The space agency offered a noncommittal statement. The biggest stumbling blocks for Artemis III are the lack of a lander and spacesuits for forays onto the lunar surface. It is not clear when the lander or the suits, which NASA only began funding in the last two to three years, will be ready. Such a mission would solve a lot of problems for the space agency. It would also validate the ability of astronauts to live inside the spacecraft. The mission would be the first of its kind. It could be used to test the ability to live in space. The agency has yet to confirm the mission.