NASA has postponed the crewed return to the Moon's surface until September 2026 at the earliest. This marks a one-year delay in the Artemis III mission. The delay is due to the need for further technological development, specifically the absence of a lunar landing craft and spacesuits. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized that they "won't fly until we're ready," citing safety concerns. The Artemis II precursor mission, initially scheduled for the end of 2024, has also been pushed back to September 2025. Concerns about the life-support system in the Orion capsule and unexpected heatshield issues during Artemis I are contributing to the delays. The landing craft for Artemis III will be provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX, using the Starship vehicle, which adds complexity to the timeline. Despite the setbacks, Artemis IV and V missions remain scheduled for 2028 and 2029. The goal is to introduce lunar space station flights and a second landing system developed by Jeff Bezos' space company, Blue Origin. The delay follows the unsuccessful attempt by NASA and Astrobotic's Peregrine 1 to achieve the first moon landing from the US in half a century.