GAO Assessment: NASA's Artemis Mission Will Be 1.5 Years Late

Illustration of the Artemis 3 mission on the Moon (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA NASA targeted the launch of Artemis 3, an astronaut landing mission on the Moon, in September 2026. The mission is expected to launch on time, but government analyst agencies think otherwise. Based on the results of a confirmation review of the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), this month's exploration mission will be up to one and a half years late. This is due to the problem of slow-running lander rides and developments. Starship, a two-stage launch vehicle from SpaceX, is still conducting several trials to date. According to the joint confidence level taken into account by GAO, Starship has a 70 percent chance of landing in the month in February 2028. Meanwhile, the remaining 30 percent is believed to be an opportunity for Starship launch after February 2028. The independent agency stressed that this calculation is not related to other aspects such as the readiness of its launch system and its spacesuit. After the assessment for the Artemis 3 Mission was released, NASA said that GAO's calculations were already very accurate considering various risks. However, NASA is optimistic that the launch will run according to the target.

"The basic figure of the cost and schedule of GAO reports is accurate, estimation based on risk at the mutual confidence level (JCL) 70%. The agency's use of JCL 70% to inform basic estimates is a conservative approach that assumes widespread risk realization," NASA said, quoted by Spacenews. The US space agency puts full hope in SpaceX. They believe that Elon Musk's space company could set up Starship on time. "NASA continues to believe in SpaceX as a provider to help achieve the Artemis III mission."