Update — I’m listening live on the conference, and it appears that the Starliner’s heat-shield did not perform as expected, during the uncrewed re-entry, earlier this year. This may lead to a redesign — but in any event, will place at least another one year delay into the timeline. The mission, as ever — is safety first. And there is some concern about the electrical system / battery configuration, during an abort procedure — so Condor here is thinking 2030 or beyond for a human crew — headed to the Moon, and 2035 to Mars — if ever. That’s just my guess, to be clear. [And the confirming press release from NASA is now public.] End, update.
To any of our regular readers, this should come as no surprise, at all. [Backgrounder, here.]
NASA Chief Bill Nelson will hold a press briefing later today, related to Artemis, and the boots on the Moon ideas.
I for one expect that (as we see in the Muskian graphic at right) the pure science value of humans, in boots (setting aside Tangerine hubris) again on the lunar surface… is scant indeed, and Nelson is wisely but politely going to say so.
…NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and leadership will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. EST, Thursday, Dec. 5, at the agency’s headquarters in Washington to provide a briefing about the agency’s Artemis campaign….
Now you know. Onward — grinning whenever Elon doesn’t get his way, since about 2015.
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