Artemis II mission was a triumph. Now comes the hard part

Artemis II mission was a triumph. Now comes the hard part

Nasa’s Artemis II mission marked a successful milestone, sending four astronauts on a loop around the Moon’s far side before safely returning them to Earth. The Orion spacecraft delivered solid performance, and the photographs taken by the crew sparked excitement among a new generation of space enthusiasts. Yet, the question remains: will these aspiring explorers eventually live and work on the Moon, or even venture further to Mars as envisioned by the Artemis program? The answer, according to experts, is uncertain.

While orbiting the Moon may seem like a minor achievement, the real challenge lies in establishing a sustained presence there. This was evident during the Apollo era, when the moon landings were driven by Cold War competition rather than a broader vision of space colonization. Neil Armstrong’s historic “one small step” in 1969 was a symbolic victory for the U.S., but the Apollo program’s momentum waned quickly. Subsequent missions saw declining public interest, and the program was ultimately abandoned, leaving the Moon as a temporary stop rather than a permanent home.

Today, NASA’s strategy is different. With a 2028 target for the first crewed lunar landing, the agency aims to build a long-term base on the Moon. This goal is ambitious, and the roadmap includes a propellant depot in Earth orbit, which will be replenished by over a dozen tanker flights. The plan is elegant in theory but complex in execution. Maintaining cryogenic fuels like oxygen and methane in space, then transferring them between spacecraft, is a formidable engineering task.

“The Moon economy will develop,” says Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA). “It will take time to set up the various elements, but it will develop.”

However, the recent delays in Artemis II hint at the difficulties ahead. Dr. Simeon Barber of the Open University notes that the mission faced two delays this year due to fuel-related issues. “If it’s difficult to do in the launch pad, it’s going to be much more difficult to do in orbit,” he adds.

The upcoming Artemis III mission is set to test Orion’s docking capabilities with landers in Earth orbit, targeting mid-2027. But progress is slow. SpaceX’s Starship, the primary vehicle for lunar missions, remains at least two years behind schedule, with additional delays anticipated. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 is also struggling, as nearly half the problems identified in a 2024 design review remain unresolved over a year later. These landers must transport far more than the compact Eagle module used in 1969, carrying essential infrastructure for a future base.