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The Artemis moon landings are delayed again due to technical difficulties. This time, the problem is with the Orion spacecraft heat shield. NASA administrator Bill Nelson announced that the new landing dates are in April of 2026 for Artemis II and sometime in 2027 for the first human landing during the Artemis III mission. The difficulties the Artemis program faces stem from the complexity of the hardware and trajectories needed to take astronauts to the Moon according to Nelson. “The Artemis campaign is the most daring, technically challenging, collaborative, international endeavor humanity has ever set out to do,” said Nelson. He pointed out that the mission has made a lot of progress. However, there’s more work to be done, in particular on the Orion life support systems. Artemis II is next up in early 2026. It will be a test flight to demonstrate the viability of all the systems, said Nelson. “We need to get this next test flight right. That’s how the Artemis campaign succeeds.” Making a safe return through Earth’s atmosphere is a vital part of the mission. After Orion came back from its Artemis 1 mission in November 2022, engineers noticed issues with the heat shield. They figured out that gases generated inside the heat shield didn’t vent properly. That caused cracks in the shield and triggered an investigation. The decision to delay the Artemis II test flight came after that investigation. This allows NASA engineers to work with the heat shield currently attached to the Orion capsule for the April 2026 flight. In addition, they’re studying the re-entry process to avoid future problems with the shield. Artemis II to the Moon As we all know, the Artemis program will allow long-term exploration of the Moon. The April 2026 mission is a test flight that will orbit, but not land, and then return to Earth. The idea is to test all the spacecraft’s systems with astronauts on board. The Orion spacecraft is the crew’s living quarters and lab, all in one. It’s built to carry four astronauts from Earth to space and ultimately to the Moon. It makes sense that this “home away from home” has to be shielded from pretty much anything that space—and Earth’s atmosphere—can throw at the capsule. This includes the ultrahot trip through our atmosphere on the return trip. At times, Orion experiences temperatures up to 2700 C (5000 F), which could harm the capsule if not for the shielding. So, the shield is a life-saver. The heat shield retrieved after the Artemis 1 test flight to the Moon. Crews inspected it to understand what caused it to char. Courtesy: NASA. When Orion first encountered the heat shield problem, engineers determined that heating rates increased during the spaceship’s planned “dips” into the atmosphere. It was performing a skip guidance entry technique. Heat built up inside the heat shield’s material and gases accumulated. Eventually, that cracked areas in the outer layer of the shield and blew some of it off to space. It turns out that if astronauts had been aboard, they would not have been affected. However, now that engineers understand what occurred, they can enhance the heat shield material to make sure it doesn’t happen again. In addition, the mission plan will be altered to change how far the capsule flies between atmospheric re-entry and eventual landing. Upgrading Mission Plans The extended time until the April 2026 and mid-2027 Artemis missions will allow improvements to the capsule and launch systems. For example, engineers can give more attention to environmental and life support systems. This is particularly important for the Artemis III mission. It will launch on top of a Space Launch System rocket into Earth orbit. Once there, the mission will perform a translunar injection to send it to lunar space. Not only will it carry astronauts to the Moon, but they will land in the south polar region using a SpaceX landing system. That 30-day mission will require at least two crew members to spend a week at the pole collecting samples, doing site photography, and measuring conditions there. This image shows nine candidate landing regions for NASA’s Artemis III mission, with each region containing multiple potential sites for the first crewed landing on the Moon in more than 50 years. The background image of the lunar South Pole terrain within the nine regions is a mosaic of LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) WAC (Wide Angle Camera) images. Credit: NASA Artemis III will be the first time anyone has set foot on the Moon since the last Apollo mission in December 1972. The entire Artemis program aims at providing long-term habitation and study of Earth’s nearest neighbor in space. To that end, NASA has been studying several interesting landing spots at the pole. Eventually, there will be an orbiting lunar station, plus habitats on the surface and regular trips between. NASA and other agencies expect that lunar explorers will be spending their time studying the surface and geology of the Moon, plus determining what resources are available for long-term exploration and habitation. However, given the pace of the program, those next developments probably won’t take place until the 2030s. For More Information NASA Identifies Cause of Artemis I Orion Heat Shield Chart LossAs Artemis Moves Forward, NASA Picks SpaceX to Land Next Americans on MoonArtemis IIArtemis III: NASA’s First Human Mission to the Lunar South Pole The post NASA Pushes Human Moon Landing Back to 2027 appeared first on Universe Today.

Yes, I'm already looking forward to music for next year. With 2024 quickly coming to a close, I've been reflecting on some of the amazing albums and songs that were released this year. There was so much great stuff from a wide array of artists, and I have to say that I think, in general, we're actually in a really great place with the genre right now. Of course, there's plenty we could pick apart and complain about, but with country currently dominating the charts, and streaming, it's an exciting time to be a fan. And while so many of my favorite artists did release new music this year, from Riley Green to Miranda Lambert, there were some noticeably missing from my rotation this year (in terms of new stuff), that I am really hoping put out a new project next year. Of course, this is a short list for the sake of brevity, and because I really tried to narrow it down to my very top picks, I only included people who didn't put out a full-length album in 2024... of course, every year, I hope that every artist or band that I love will release an album, but that's simply unrealistic. So without further ado, let's get into it... Eric Church The last time we heard from North Carolina native Eric Church in terms of a true studio album was in April of 2021, when he released the three-part project Heart & Soul... yeah, it's been way too long. Eric has pretty much said he's planning to put out some sort of project next year, and we've already heard the first single in "Darkest Hour" in the wake of Hurricane Helene, with all of the proceeds from it (forever) going to hurricane relief efforts. I feel like even with Heart & Soul, because it was such a different type of undertaking, it's been years since we've gotten a "normal," full-length Eric Church album, and I'm more than ready for it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvIbu71_57o Lukas Nelson Lukas last put an album out called Sticks & Stones with his former band Promise of the Real in 2023. Since then, they've announced an indefinite hiatus, and he's been focusing on more solo stuff, in addition to working with people like the great Sierra Ferrell. I'm a longtime fan of Lukas, and he has a cool rock, country infusion going on with his sound that is really unique and sets him apart from his father, the legend himself, Willie Nelson. Lukas' most recent, aforementioned album, leaned way more towards country than his previous records, which certainly intrigued me and made me want to hear more. He's so incredibly talented, and extremely underrated, so I really hope we get to hear what Lukas can do solo with a new album next year. Treaty Oak Revival Treaty Oak Revival is one of the most exciting bands in the Texas/red dirt scene right now, who released their sophomore album Have A Nice Day to much critical acclaim in 2023, following their 2021 breakout debut album No Vacancy. They did put out a single called "Happy Face" this year, but that's not enough... I need a whole album full of their distinctive, gritty rock and country blend that has them poised for an even bigger 2025. Pistol Annies My girls... it's past time for a new album from country's most amazing girl group, the Pistol Annies. Consisting of powerhouses Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, they're a force to be reckoned with and one of the most underrated bands in the genre. They released a Christmas album in 2021, Hell of a Holiday, which was good, but I've been wanting a true full-length album for a few years now, since their 2018 Interstate Gospel came out and proved once again that, when the three of them unite in the name of good old fashioned country music, no one else comes close. Of course, the three of them stay busy on their own with their individual music careers, but I need a new album from them like I need air in my lungs... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QKc3PpCAH8 Tyler Childers Mr. Tyler Childers... we're ready for more. The Kentucky native has definitely been doing some, let's say, passion projects over the last several years, which includes his three-part gospel record Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? (2022), as well as Long Violent History (2020) and most recently, Rustin' in the Rain (2023), which honestly I consider more of an EP since it was only seven songs (and one was a cover of "Help Me Make It Through the Night" he'd done before). It's been since 2019 when he released Country Squire, the follow-up to his breakout 2017 Purgatory album, that we go a true, full-length album full of originals that wasn't part of another side project or special thing that seemed more like a passion project... nothing wrong with that, either, but we're due for another album from him no matter what it is. Cross Canadian Ragweed I know, this is a pipe dream and is highly unlikely to happen, but... never say never, right? For years, frontman of the legendary red dirt band Cross Canadian Ragweed, Cody Canada, said they would never get back together, and he was adamant about it. Well, guess what? They're gearing up to play four sold-out shows at Oklahoma State’s Boone Pickens Stadium after a 15-year hiatus next year. I mean, their 2004 Soul Gravy is iconic (which Canada re-recorded on his own a couple years ago), and you can't go wrong with any of their other five studio album or three live albums. I understand that making an album of original songs entails a LOT, and isn't the same as just reunited to play already-created music for four nights, but still... their reunion in and of itself has proved that anything is possible, so I'll just hold onto my (probably delusional) little bit of hope. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR6pkU-_MK4 That's it for me... who are some of your favorite artists or bands you're hoping to hear new tunes from in the new year?