NASA’s effort to send astronauts back to the Moon is facing new uncertainty after a government audit warned that critical spacesuit development is falling behind schedule, putting the 2028 target in doubt.

A report from the agency’s inspector general found that NASA is struggling to keep its next-generation lunar spacesuits on track. Because the suits are essential for astronauts to safely operate on the Moon’s surface, any delay in their readiness could directly impact the mission timeline.

Officials acknowledged that early development timelines were too optimistic and have already slipped by more than a year. Auditors cautioned that in a worst-case scenario, key testing milestones may not occur until 2031, years after NASA hopes to land astronauts on the Moon.

The issue is compounded by the age of existing equipment. Spacesuits currently used for spacewalks aboard the International Space Station date back decades, with core designs more than 50 years old. Meanwhile, suits from the Apollo era are no longer suitable for modern missions, requiring entirely new systems to be developed.

NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, depends heavily on these upgraded suits. In 2022, the agency awarded contracts to Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to build them, opting to purchase spacesuit services rather than own the hardware outright.

The program encountered a major setback in 2024 when Collins Aerospace withdrew after determining it could not meet NASA’s schedule, leaving Axiom Space as the sole contractor responsible for delivering the suits. Auditors warned that relying on a single provider increases the risk of further delays.

NASA said it agrees with recommendations to improve coordination across its programs and establish compatibility standards between spacesuits and lunar vehicles.

“NASA concurs with this recommendation. Work is already underway to coordinate across relevant programs, and the Agency will develop a plan to establish interoperability standards between Artemis lunar vehicles and spacesuits, the agency said.

“Upon completing the individual Artemis vehicle-to-xEVA System Interface Control Documents (ICDs), NASA will develop a single, consolidated Artemis vehicle-to-xEVA System ICD. Estimated Completion Date: December 31, 2027.”

The report comes as NASA continues making progress on its Artemis missions, including a recent crewed flight that carried astronauts around the Moon.

Still, the audit found that earlier goals for spacesuit demonstrations and testing have already been pushed back significantly, and extensive work remains. That includes environmental testing designed to simulate the harsh conditions astronauts will face on the lunar surface.

If delays continue along the lines seen in past space programs, the suits may not be ready until 2031, potentially affecting other parts of the mission timeline. The agency also faces a narrowing window to test the suits aboard the International Space Station before it is retired around 2030.

Experts say these kinds of delays are not unusual in human spaceflight, but they often become the final obstacle before launch.

“Historically, the space suit has been the last piece of the human spaceflight puzzle,” said Cathleen Lewis of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Others say the suits are just one of several components that could determine whether NASA meets its deadline.

“This report makes me wonder which will be the critical bottleneck to a crewed lunar landing in 2028, the landing system or the EVA suit,” said University of Chicago historian Jordan Bimm. “Would they do a lunar landing without an EVA? I seriously doubt it.”

{Matzav.com}