NASA delays moon missions to 2025, 2026

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Tuesday confirmed the delay of planned missions to the moon into next year and 2026.

Four astronauts were planned to travel around the Earth's only satellite later this year, while NASA planned to return to the lunar surface in 2025. Both missions have now been pushed back into the subsequent years, the Associated Press reported.

NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return to the moon, has turned to private companies for assistance, some of which have conducted their own extra-terrestrial expeditions.

Astrobotic Technology on Monday launched its Peregrine craft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with the aim of landing on the moon, though the craft quickly suffered a "critical loss of fuel," effectively ending the mission.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.