Nasa’s Artemis Moon launch postponed after unexpected engine issue
Nasa’s highly anticipated Artemis 1 Moon launch has been postponed today over an engine issue, grounding the next chapter for business in space for now.
“Engineers are now working on a plan to continue gathering data about this particular engine,” Nasa said in a statement.
Earlier this year, the US agency gave the commercial space industry the green light and unveiled its Artemis programme, which seeks to put boots on the Moon for the first time in 50-years.
“We’re taking commercial business of the face of the Earth,” Nasa administrator Bill Nelson said prior to the first private sector launch to the International Space Station in April.
The UK has made “important contributions” to Artemis so far, the government said earlier this month.
Imperial College London has been helping to build a radiation sensor for the Lunar Gateway, an outpost currently in development with businesses such as SpaceX that will orbit the Moon.