[U X2] Top NASA Leadership Likely To Further Delay Artemis Moon Mission At 1 PM EDT Today...

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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