It has been nearly 50 years since the first moon landing, yet the American space agency, NASA, still remains ambitious when it comes to venturing beyond our planet. But as it turns out, the space agency may have become a bit too ambitious in setting its goals.
According to a report from a government watchdog, NASA is likely to face delays in its plans to return to the moon by 2024. This moonshot mission, known as Artemis, was first proposed in 2017 under the Trump administration as a way of getting humans back to the lunar surface.
NASA set a goal of 2024 because that year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, the first moon landing by humans. But as the agency attempts to reach its deadline, the price tag associated with the mission is starting to skyrocket.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that the cost of Artemis will be $28 billion by the end of 2020, and some estimates put the final cost closer to $35 billion. The GAO also suggested that NASA may have to postpone Artemis due to unrealistic timeline expectations.
Furthermore, the space agency is facing greater competition from private space companies like SpaceX. The commercial space race seems to be bringing more attention to space exploration, but also providing stiffer competition for limited funding.
On the one hand, it’s encouraging to see that the public’s interest in space exploration is boosting both public and private ambitions. But on the other hand, this increased competition for funds could end up delay NASA’s plans to return to the moon.
Whether or not NASA’s plans to go back to the moon will be delayed is yet to be seen. But one thing remains clear: one way or another, the Agency’s ambitions are sure to be tested in the years to come.