The Artemis Test

Soft Power requires hard choices

The Artemis Program aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2028, roughly a year before China’s taikonauts land in the same south polar region. However, a number of different systems must be completed before Artemis can proceed, which could delay this landing beyond the 2029 deadline. We stand at the juncture of two distinct futures, one where NASA astronauts greet Chinese taikonauts as they arrive, or a second where NASA asks China for permission to land in their research area...

Convergent Technology

NASA need to complete the following systems before landings can proceed: -

Notably the legacy companies and their subcontractors have worked on the crew launch systems for more than a decade, whereas commercial companies have only been involved for the last few years. This has left the commercial companies crunched for time, suggesting they might not meet the 2028 deadline.

Spacesuit Progress