Core Points - NASA announced that the first crewed lunar flyby mission, Artemis 2, is scheduled for April 2026, with a possibility of an earlier launch in February 2026, marking a shift from previous delays [1][3] - Safety remains the top priority for NASA as they aim to meet the new timeline for the Artemis 2 mission [1] - The Artemis program, initiated in 2019, aims to return humans to the Moon, with Artemis 1 having already completed an unmanned test flight [3] Summary by Sections Mission Timeline - The original plan for Artemis 2 was to complete it by 2024, followed by Artemis 3 in late 2025. However, both missions have faced multiple delays, with the latest schedule pushing Artemis 2 to April 2026 and Artemis 3 to mid-2027 [3][4] - NASA's adjustments to the timeline were influenced by technical issues, particularly concerning the Orion spacecraft's heat shield and life support systems [4] Technical Challenges - The Artemis program has encountered significant technical difficulties, with at least eight out of thirteen critical items falling behind schedule [4] - The Orion spacecraft, developed in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, faces design flaws, while the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, developed with Boeing, has been criticized for delays and high costs [4] - The Starship, developed by SpaceX, is expected to replace the SLS in the future due to its ongoing development challenges [4][7] Space Suit Development - The development of new space suits for astronauts is another hurdle, as the current suits are outdated and do not meet the requirements for the Artemis 3 mission [7] - The company tasked with creating the new suits, Axiom Space, has indicated that a redesign is necessary to incorporate emergency life support systems [7] Future Prospects - Experts suggest that even if the Artemis 2 mission is successful, the timeline for Artemis 3 may still be optimistic, given the current state of the Starship and its readiness for lunar missions [7]

文︱陆弃 7月26日，美国国家航空航天局（NASA）迎来了令人震惊的离职潮。至此，已有约4000名NASA员工递交了离职申请，占员工总数的20%以上。这一情形的 发生，不仅源于特朗普政府对太空预算的削减，更折射出美国当下政治生态和国家未来太空战略的巨大隐忧。随着"阿耳忒弥斯"登月计划的推进，以及特朗 普提出的火星任务目标，这一流失现象无疑给美国在太空领域的未来发展蒙上了一层阴影。 与此同时，全球其他国家的航天计划正在加速推进，尤其是中国和俄罗斯。中国的"天宫"空间站已取得显著进展，俄罗斯也在积极筹划月球和火星任务，甚 至一些私人企业如SpaceX正在快速崛起，准备挑战传统的航天大国地位。 这种背景下，NASA面临的挑战远不止是财务问题那么简单。如果美国继续在太 空战略上保持迷茫和犹豫，最终可能会落后于其他竞争对手，甚至可能丧失在太空领域的领导权。 特朗普政府的政策方向和其对NASA的态度，可能会加剧美国国内的分裂。当前，科技和政治的关系日益紧密，政府的决策不仅影响到航天产业，还波及到 整个国家的创新力和未来发展。在美国，NASA不仅仅是一个航天机构，它还代表着国家科技的竞争力，承载着美国在全球舞台上的荣光。随 ...