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NASA's Artemis Program: Live updates
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Helpful Artemis Acronyms SLS: Space Launch System rocket ICPS: Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage KSC: Kennedy Space Center VAB: Vehicle Assembly Building CSA: Canadian Space Agency ESA: European Space Agency HLS: Human Landing Services NASA's Artemis 2 mission is expected to launch between Feb. and April 2026. Artemis 2 will send three NASA astronauts and one Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut around the moon for the humanity's first lunar excursion in more than 50 years. The mission will launch the crew aboard an Orion spacecraft on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, on a free-return trajectory lunar flyby to the moon and back to Earth. You can launch a Space Launch System of your own with this Estes NASA SLS model rocket for a 1:200 scale version of NASA's moon megarocket. Read more about it. View Deal Artemis 2 is the last test flight before the Artemis 3 crewed moon landing mission, scheduled for 2027. Meet the Artemis 2 crew | Artemis 2 explained | Latest news NASA to announce Artemis 2 crew today At long last, we're going to learn which astronauts will fly NASA's first crewed mission to the moon of the Artemis generation. Today, April 3, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency will announce the four astronauts who will fly on the Artemis 2 mission around the moon in 2024. That crew is expected to include one Canadian astronaut and three NASA astronauts, but exactly who is yet to be revealed. NASA will announce the crew in an event at Ellington Field near the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT). staff writer Elizabeth Howell is on the scene at the event alongside contributor Robert Pearlman of You'll be able to watch it live on as well as at the top of this page at start time. While we wait, here's a nifty trailer from NASA for today's Artemis 2 crew reveal. NASA Artemis 2 moon crew announcement underway NASA's Artemis 2 moon astronaut crew reveal is underway live on NASA TV. Speaking before a huge crowd at the Ellington Field in Houston, NASA's chief astronaut Joe Acaba began by inviting the entire astronaut corps to the stage. "Your Artemis 2 astronauts are in the room with you ... I am not one of them," he said. Canada's government minister responsible for space, François-Philippe Champagne, hailed the 60 year partnership of NASA + CSA and Canada's contribution of the CanadArm3 for the Gateway station around the moon: "We're going to the moon!" he cheered. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is now preparing to introduce the crew. This post has been corrected to reflect François-Philippe Champagne's proper title. Artemis 2 Moon Astronauts Revealed! NASA chief Bill Nelson has unveiled the first astronaut crew to visit the moon in more than 50 years. They Artemis 2 crew are: Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA Reid Wiseman, 47, spent 165 days in Earth orbit on his first mission, a 2014 flight to the ISS. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, and former fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy, he was selected for NASA's 20th astronaut class in 2009. Wiseman recently served as chief of NASA's astronaut office from 2020 to 2022. Pilot Victor Glover, NASA Victor Glover, 46, became a NASA astronaut in 2013. He flew as pilot of SpaceX's first operational crewed spaceflight (Crew-1) and logged 167 days on the ISS in 2021. Born in Pomona, California, he is an engineer and captain in the U.S. Navy. Glover was the first Black astronaut to serve on a space station crew. Mission Specialist Christina Koch, NASA Christina Koch, 44, was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan and raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina. A member of NASA's 21st astronaut class selected in 2013, Koch set a record aboard the International Space Station for the single longest mission by a woman at 328 days. During that 2019 stay, she was also one-half of the first-ever all-female spacewalk. Koch is an engineer and former U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) station chief. Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Canadian Space Agency Jeremy Hansen, 47, was chosen to join Canada's astronaut corps in 2009. A colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force, he was born in London, Ontario. Though Artemis 2 will be his first time in space, Hansen served as an aquanaut aboard the Aquarius underwater lab in 2014 and took a turn as a "cavenaut" as part of the European Space Agency's CAVES astronaut training course the year prior. Artemis 2 astronauts thrilled for moon mission The four astronauts of NASA's Artemis 2 mission are thrilled, to say the least, to be on the crew that will send the first humans to the moon in more than 50 years. You can read our full story here. Set to launch on a Space Launch System megarocket in 2024, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency will fly around the moon, much like Apollo 8, on their Orion spacecraft. Here's what they had to say of the mission today: Commander Reid Wiseman: "This is a global effort, Artemis 2, and it's only going to get larger with Artemis 3 and beyond as we get private spaceflight involved. SpaceX is building our lander for Artemis 3. So to the NASA workforce, to our program managers, our center directors that are here, the amazing political support that we feel right now to bring our country together to bring our entire world together to go explore to get to Mars and beyond, we say a huge thank you." Pilot Victor Glover: "We need to celebrate this moment in human history. Because Artemis two is more than a mission to the moon and it's more than a mission that has to happen before we send people to the surface of the moon. It is the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars."Human spaceflight is like a relay race, and that baton has been passed generation to generation and from crew member to crew member from the Gemini, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Apollo Soyuz, Skylab Mir, the shuttle, International Space Station, commercial crew and and now the Artemis missions. We understand our role in that. And when we have the privilege of having that baton. We're going to do our best to run a good race to make you proud. I pray that God will bless this mission. But I also pray that we can continue to serve as a source of inspiration for cooperation and peace, not just between nations, but in our own nation." Mission specialist Christina Koch: "When I think about this mission, that's a relay race with international partners, it's all so awesome in and of itself. "We are going to launch for Kennedy Space Center to the work of the exploration Ground Systems team. We're going to hear the words go for launch on top of the most powerful rocket NASA's ever made the Space Launch System, and we're gonna ride that rocket for eight minutes into Earth orbit. We're not going to go to the moon right away. We're gonna stay in an amazing high orbit, reaching a peak of tens of thousands of miles while we test out all the systems on Orion and see how it maneuvers in space. And then if everything was good, we're heading to the moon. "It will be a four day journey, going a quarter of a million miles, continuing to test out every bit of Orion going around the far side of the moon, heading home going through the Earth's atmosphere at over 25,000 miles per hour and splashing down in the Pacific. So am I excited? Absolutely. But my real question is Are you excited? I asked that because the one thing I'm most excited about is that we are going to carry your excitement, your aspirations, your dreams with us on this mission. Artemis to your mission." Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen: "Our scientists or engineers, the Canadian Space Agency, the Canadian Armed Forces across government, all of our leadership working together under a vision to take step by step and all of those have added up to this moment where a Canadian is going to the moon with our international partnership and it is glorious." Artemis 2 mission benefits from Canadian winter experience Cold weather is helping to boost the fortunes of Canada in space, including its contributions to Artemis 2. Astronaut Jeremy Hansen will the first non-American to leave low Earth orbit, alongside three NASA crewmates, no earlier than 2024. Canadian leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argues that Canada's winter experience is one big reason for its success in space. Trudeau emphasized that working in Canada's north helped with numerous kinds of technology, including the Canadarm robotic arm series that has provided Canadian astronaut seats for nearly 40 years. The Arctic in particular represents "some of the harshest environments" available to humans, and Trudeau joked that when asked about why Canada does so well in space, he responds: "Obvious. Winter." Read more: Winter is coming: Artemis 2 moon mission gets boost from Canadian cold Artemis 2 astronaut completes vision quest An Artemis 2 astronaut recently finished a vision quest to help prepare for his upcoming trip around the moon. Jeremy Hansen recently participated in the four-day Indigenous rite of passage as part of Artemis 2 mission training, the Canadian Space Agency astronaut tweeted. "I would like to express my gratitude to Anishinaabe Elder David Courchene III 'Sabe' for the gracious invitation," Hansen said of the ceremony, which took place at Turtle Lodge in Manitoba on the lands of the Sagkeeng First Nation (also known as Fort Alexander). On Tuesday (June 13), Hansen added he has completed the ceremony and "I have a renewed appreciation for all that Mother Earth provides, especially water." Read more: Artemis 2 astronaut goes on vision quest to prepare for moon mission Artemis 2 astronaut plays cowboy at Calgary Stampede Canadian Artemis 2 moon astronaut Jeremy Hansen, partnering with his borrowed horse Cisco, pretended to be a cowboy at Canada's Calgary Stampede fair last week in the western province of Alberta. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who flew on the space shuttle Columbia in 1986 while a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, also visited the event. The two appeared in flight suits and cowboy hats as part of the celebration of cowboy culture, which annually draws a million participants. Read more: Yeehaw! NASA chief and Artemis 2 moon astronaut play cowboy for a day (photo) 3 Orion spacecraft line up for their moon missions Three crew-carrying spacecraft are getting ready for their big moon missions. The Orion capsules for the Artemis 2, Artemis 3 and Artemis 4 moon missions are coming together at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida under stewardship of contractor Lockheed Martin. "The future of @NASA_Orion is looking pretty good," Lockheed officials wrote on Twitter Friday (July 14) of the three spacecraft, each of which is expected to ferry astronauts to the moon starting in late 2024 or so. Read more: These 3 Orion spacecraft will carry Artemis astronauts to the moon (photo) Artemis 2 crew member praises NASA supersonic jet A moon astronaut recently honored the decades of supersonic trainer work that NASA has put in with its T-38s. Artemis 2 Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen praised the supersonic T-38 trainer jet for its ability to keep astronauts on their toes while in flight. "We use these airplanes because they're challenging," Hansen said in a video released Tuesday (July 18) on the CSA's social media channels. Manufacturer Northrop Grumman says more than 72,000 U.S. Air Force pilots have trained in the T-38 since it first rolled off the line in 1961. Though it was only manufactured until 1972, more than 500 continue to be used by both the Air Force and NASA. Read more: Artemis 2 moon astronaut explains risk of flying NASA's supersonic training jet Artemis 2 astronauts deep in moon training The first moon crew in 52 years, Artemis 2, includes a lot of diversity. They've been to the International Space Station, the U.S. Senate, in combat and in many other locations. Now as the foursome — NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen — get ready for the moon, lead training officer Jacki Mahaffey told how she is using their experience in training. Read more: How Artemis 2 astronauts are training for their 2024 moon mission NASA finishes first practice countdown for Artemis 2 The Artemis 2 launching team at NASA recently finished their first dress rehearsal to send four astronauts safely into space to go around the moon. This crucial "sim" is one of many that NASA will do for the November 2024 mission. The mission includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Read more: NASA practices for 2024 launch of Artemis 2 moon mission Artemis 2 moon astronauts do splashdown training with US Navy The Artemis 2 astronauts worked with the U.S. Navy team recently on splashdown operations. The Navy and NASA are training to recover the four-person crew, which will circle around the moon no earlier than November 2024, after they complete their 10-day mission. While the crew familiarized themselves with the team and procedures, NASA and the Department of Defense practiced recovery operations nearby San Diego using equipment such as helicopters, boats and the USS John P. Murtha. Read more: See Artemis 2 moon astronauts train with US Navy for Orion splashdown (photos, video) Artemis 2 moon astronauts rehearse for launch day The Artemis 2 moon astronauts practiced for launch day at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday (Sept. 20), complete with spacesuits and a drive to the launch pad to ascend the mobile launcher. "I just had images of all those Apollo launches and shuttle launches that I saw as a kid and it was unreal," Artemis 2 pilot Victor Glover said in a NASA statement. "I actually had to stop and just stay in the moment to really let it all sink in." Aboard the round-the-moon mission, slated to launch in late 2024, will be NASA commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot Victor Glover (the first person of color to leave Earth orbit), NASA mission specialist Christina Koch (the first woman to do so) and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen (the first non-American). Read more: Artemis 2 astronaut crew suits up for moon launch dress rehearsal (photos, video) How Artemis 2 moon astronauts will live in space The Artemis 2 astronauts and other personnel are testing living activities the crew will do on the 10-day moon mission, including sleeping, eating and of course, going to the bathroom. The four astronauts will spend all of their time in the Orion spacecraft, learning how to live and work together in a small space. Read more: Here's how Artemis 2 astronauts will exercise, sleep and use the toilet on their moon mission (photos) Artemis 2 core stage faces welding issues: report While Artemis 2 remains on track for its round-the-moon mission with astronauts in 2024, welding issues on the core stage of its massive rocket are ongoing, a report suggests. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket's core stage, expected to launch the four-astronaut Artemis 2 around the moon, is facing unspecified "weld issues" during assembly at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The issue was reported in NASA Spaceflight and NASA did not immediately respond to queries from about the matter. Read more: Welding issues stall Artemis 2 moon rocket's assembly, but 2024 mission still on track: report NASA shows off Artemis moon astronauts' electric car for launch pad rides NASA recently displayed the shiny inside of its new fleet of astronaut cars from Canoo Technologies Inc., all assigned to the Artemis program. It was the first look at the interior ahead of the debut crew Artemis 2, using the all-electric vehicles to get the the launch pad for their round-the-moon mission starting in 2024. The moon crew's car interior came to light at a racing event: The Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix of the United States in Austin, Texas between Oct. 20 and 22. Artemis 2 astronauts Reid Wiseman (from NASA) and Jeremy Hansen (from the Canadian Space Agency) also were there on Oct. 22 talking with some of the racing companies. Read more: NASA's Artemis moon astronauts will ride to the launch pad in these sleek electric cars (photos) Orion spacecraft for Artemis astronaut moon mission assembled NASA's astronaut moon spacecraft is under assembly. The Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2's round-the-moon mission in 2024 had its crew and service modules joined at NASA on Oct. 19. More tests are planned on the joined pieces, including power-on examinations and altitude chamber testing. It's a significant milestone for the mission that will carry four astronauts to lunar realms in just over a year. Read more: Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft comes together ahead of 2024 moon mission (photos) Artemis 2 mobile launcher soaked in 'water flow test' The mobile launcher for Artemis 2, a big moon mission, got soaked Tuesday (Oct. 24) in a mission safety test ahead of the 2024 mission. The mobile launcher that will be used to launch the powerful Space Launch System rocket had a "water flow test", the third at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to "verify the overpressure protection and sound suppression system is ready for launch," NASA officials wrote in a brief statement Thursday (Oct. 26). "During liftoff, 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of water will rush onto the pad to help protect NASA's SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, mobile launcher, and launch pad from any over pressurization and extreme sound produced during ignition and liftoff," agency officials added. Read more: Watch NASA's Artemis 2 mobile rocket launcher get soaked during water deluge test (video) Canadian astronaut ready for the moon, his first mission in space After 15 years waiting for space, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen is getting ready for the moon. He is one of the mission specialists aboard Artemis 2, which aims to launch four astronauts in 2024, and says the first seven months of training for the NASA mission is reinforcing to him all the years of experience he already has in assisting with human space missions and space policy. "The only thing that does feel different is that there is this personal aspect of, 'I've been working to actually fly in space and do the astronaut aspects'," Hansen told in an exclusive 30-minute interview on Friday (Oct. 27.) "It does feel like it's getting closer, and much closer, than it's ever felt before. So there is that sense, and that is really fun for me." Read more: Artemis 2 moon astronaut says crew is ready for ambitious 2024 mission Boosters assemble! Artemis 2 moon rockets come together in new video An astronaut moon rocket comes together at NASA in a new epic video. Twin rocket boosters for Artemis 2, now being assembled at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, will assist the agency's powerful Space Launch System rocket as it sends four astronauts on a round-the-moon mission in 2024. You can watch KSC teams piece together parts of each booster's aft assembly – the booster part that steers them during flight. Read more: Watch NASA build Artemis 2 astronaut moon rocket boosters ahead of 2024 launch (video) Artemis 2 moon spacecraft powers on ahead of 2024 mission The Orion spacecraft for Artemis 2 powered on this week successfully ahead of its historic moon mission with four astronauts in 2024. Seeing power flow to Orion was a large milestone following the moment when the American-made crew module and European Service Module (ESM) joined at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in mid-October, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). Once ready, Orion will carry NASA's Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen, who are undergoing 18 months of training to get ready for the first human moon mission in 52 years. Read more: NASA powers up Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft ahead of 2024 moon mission Artemis 2 readies for astronaut moon launch 1 year after Artemis 1 Space fans, get ready to start your moon engines. NASA's Artemis 1 uncrewed moon mission lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Nov. 16, 2022. One year later, the next moon rocket ride for astronauts is in testing for a new mission that could launch in late 2024. The crewed mission, known as Artemis 2, will send four astronauts around the moon. As the quartet continue their complex training, their Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, side boosters, Orion spacecraft and other key elements are under assembly in various parts of the United States. Read more: 1 year after Artemis 1 launch, NASA readies Artemis 2 to shoot for the moon again (video) Canadian Space Agency names backup astronaut for Artemis 2 The Canadian Space Agency may bring the third Canadian woman into space as soon as 2024, should she be needed for a moon mission. Fire scientist Jenni Gibbons was named Tuesday (Nov. 22) as backup for Jeremy Hansen, the CSA astronaut flying around the moon with Artemis 2 in 2024. The CSA is a signatory to the NASA-led Artemis Accords that has two purposes: peaceful space exploration norms and for some participants, moon missions. That wasn't the only big space news for CSA on Tuesday. Canada typically receives missions every six years based on its ISS contributions, and current spacecraft capacity. The next long-duration mission will be with Joshua Kutryk, a test pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force, will fly on the first operational Boeing Starliner mission in 2025 for a half-year mission to the ISS. Read more: Canada assigns astronauts to launch on Boeing's Starliner, back up Artemis 2 moon mission Artemis 2 astronauts autograph moon rocket The Artemis 2 crew signed their names Monday (Nov. 27) on the adapter for their Orion spacecraft, which will be mounted on top of the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The rocket will send them around the moon in 2024. The four astronauts, wearing cleanroom outfits, were visiting NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The adapter will be under Orion during the launch, the first human one to the moon since 1972. Read more: Artemis 2 moon astronauts autograph their own rocket 1 year before launch Artemis 2 moon mission hardware building up at NASA centers NASA's Artemis 2 mission remains on track to send four astronauts around the moon in late 2024. The crew is continuing their training while the hardware that will carry them to space — the Orion capsule and giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket — is being readied at different NASA centers. Read more: NASA building giant Artemis 2 moon rocket ahead of 2024 launch Artemis 2 moon astronauts meet President Biden NASA's Artemis 2 moon crew, led by NASA, met with U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday (Dec. 14) and talked with reporters afterwards about the support Biden is offering for the historic mission, the first to fly to the moon with humans since 1972. The crew talked to Biden "about their training and science plans for the mission, set to launch in late 2024," according to a small update on NASA HQ Photo's X account (formerly Twitter). Aside from Wiseman, the Artemis 2 astronauts include NASA pilot Victor Glover (the first person of color to leave low Earth orbit), NASA mission specialist Christina Koch (the first woman) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (the first non-American). Read more: Artemis 2 astronauts meet President Biden to talk America's next trip to the moon that time when 3 moon astronauts once flew, supersonic-style, by a NASA lunar rocket on the pad Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman helped organize a special event in 2022: he was part of a group of astronauts flying the famous T-38 jet trainers past the Artemis 1 SLS on the launch pad on Aug. 23, 2022. Nobody knew it back then, but three of the four Artemis 2 crew were in the tight formation: Wiseman, NASA mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen. (Only absent was NASA pilot Victor Glover, who was away on other duties at the time.) Read more: What's it like to buzz an Artemis SLS moon rocket with a supersonic jet? NASA's Artemis 2 commander tells all Artemis 2's NASA backup astronaut named to moon mission NASA astronaut Andre Douglas will serve as backup for the three U.S. astronauts on the Artemis 2 round-the-moon flight, the agency announced today (July 3). Douglas will back up commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch. Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is also a mission specialist on Artemis 2, already has a backup: astronaut Jenni Gibbons, also with CSA. "I've always been fascinated with new things. I like to develop things," Douglas told in March about the Artemis program, which later this decade aims to put astronauts on the moon's surface for the first time since 1972. "I really believe in pushing ourselves, in understanding what is our true potential: both me as an individual, [and] within all of us as a species." "This is the perfect place to be, where we're going to push that boundary," he said. Read more: NASA announces Artemis 2 moon mission backup astronaut — Andre Douglas will support 2025 lunar liftoff Artemis 2 core stage to arrive at KSC NASA will livestream the arrival of the Artemis 2 core stage at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Wednesday (July 23) on X, the agency announced. The livestream will start at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT). NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis 2 booster left the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility, in New Orleans on July 16 for a journey on NASA's Pegasus barge to KSC, near Orlando. The core stage has reached the Floridian shore as of Monday (July 21), but has not yet gone on to KSC grounds, according to social media posts. Artemis 2 is the first human lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972 and plans to send four astronauts around the moon no earlier than September 2025. NASA live has begun with Artemis 2 core stage! NASA has begun its livestream from the Kennedy Space Center area to broadcast the arrival of the Artemis 2 core stage at the facility. Watch live on X here. NASA livestream concludes NASA just finished its livestream from the Kennedy Space Center area regarding the arrival of the Artemis 2 core stage at the facility. Watch for more coverage. NASA's Artemis 2 rocket core stage arrives near launch pad in Florida An astronaut crew's rocket made its last major journey on Earth before blasting off for the moon. The core stage of Artemis 2's rocket came to NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Tuesday (July 23). The rocket stage was offloaded from NASA's Pegasus barge, which shipped the rocket stage 900 miles (1,450 km) by water from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, in a seven-hour operation aided by remote controlled vehicles known as self-propelled modular transporters. The 212-foot (65-meter) stage then made the half-mile (0.8 km) journey to NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building where it will eventually be joined to the rest of the Space Launch System rocket for a launch no earlier than September 2025. Read more: Watch NASA's massive Artemis 2 rocket core stage arrive in Florida. Next stop: the moon (video, photos) Why opening the door on Artemis 2 moon spacecraft requires practice The four Artemis 2 astronauts recently practiced a key contingency operation as they continue to prepare for their moon mission: opening the side hatch of their Orion spacecraft. If all goes well during Artemis 2's planned September 2025 launch and round-the-moon mission, of course, the astronauts will keep all doors firmly shut. Conducting the first human lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, however, requires a strict focus on safety — just in case. Read more: Artemis 2 astronauts train for emergencies with Orion spacecraft ahead of 2025 moon launch (photos) NASA delays Artemis 2 moon mission to April 2026 NASA is waiting another year to launch its Artemis 2 mission. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced the latest delay on Thursday (Dec. 5) during a press conference with Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman and agency leadership. The administrator cited issues with the heat shield on the mission's Orion spacecraft. During the Artemis 1 test flight mission in late 2022, more material charred away from the capsule's heat shield than was expected, and NASA is still studying the issue to determine its the agency is pushing ahead with Artemis 2 with the mission's Orion capsule and existing heat shield already installed. NASA made the decision "after an extensive investigation of an Artemis 1 heat shield issue showed the Artemis 2 heat shield can keep the crew safe during the planned mission with changes to Orion's trajectory," the agency wrote in a statement on Dec. 5. T-6 months until the earliest window opens for the launch of Artemis 2 Humanity's first journey to the moon in more than 50 years could launch as soon as February 2026. Artemis 2 will fly NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day mission around the moon and back, marking the first space travelers to do so since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. The crew will launch on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, currently being stacked in the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). They will ride aboard the Orion space capsule on a free-return trajectory, circling the moon once before their course throws them out of lunar space and back toward Earth. The mission could launch as early as February 2026, though Artemis 2 crew members have stated that may be pushed to as late as April. Artemis 3 is currently slated for NET (no earlier than) 2027. That mission will fly a crew of four, yet to be named, on the first mission of the Artemis program to land on the lunar surface. Catch up on Artemis 2's progress as the mission has progressed toward liftoff: NASA's Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft fuels up and moves closer to launch Teams at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Florida, moved the newly-fueled Orion crew capsule from the Multi-Payload Processing Facility (MPPF) to the Launch Abort System Facility (LASF), where it will be outfitted with its emergency escape system. The move marks a major milestone in preparing the spacecraft for the first crewed flight. Now that Orion is inside the LASF, engineers will install its 44-foot (13.4-meter) launch abort system, designed to propel the crew capsule away from its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in the event of an emergency. Read more Artemis 2 moon astronauts suit up and enter their Orion spacecraft together for 1st time With just months left before the historic launch, the Artemis crew is hard at work finishing their training and preparations. As part of that training, the whole crew suited up in their launch and entry suits to enter their Orion spacecraft together for the first time on July 31 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida during what is known as a suited crew test. Orion was powered on with the crew inside, giving them a feeling for what they'll actually experience on launch day. They were plugged into the capsule's life support and communications systems as well as given a variety of simulated ground and flight conditions. These included putting the crew through challenging scenarios such as sudden leaks or life support system malfunctions. The goal was to help "ensure the crew is ready for any scenario," NASA wrote in a statement. Read more NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket gets 2nd stage even as Trump tries to scrap Space Launch System The giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket continues to grow inside the NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Technicians at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Florida, stacked the rocket's second stage onto the launch vehicle Thursday (May 1). The Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) is responsible for carrying the Orion spacecraft and crew the rest of the way into orbit around the Earth, and then sending them on their way to the moon. Read more NASA completes SLS core stage stacking for Artemis 2 moon mission The core stage of NASA's next Space Launch System (SLS) rocket recently completed integration with the vehicle's side boosters inside the agency's Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida. "Technicians joined the core stage March 23 with the stacked solid rocket boosters for the mission at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)," NASA officials wrote in a statement Monday (March 24). SLS's solid rocket boosters are responsible for lofting the 322-foot (98-meter), fully stacked vehicle through the first stage of launch. Each booster stands 177 feet (54 meters) tall, and together they provide more than three quarters of SLS's total thrust at liftoff. Read more Artemis 3 SLS hardware arrives in the VAB As the stacking of the SLS rocket for Artemis 2 nears completion inside the VAB, pieces for the next Artemis mission in the lineup are beginning to appear. The engine mount and boat-tail section for the Artemis 3 SLS were transported from KSC's Space Systems Processing Facility to the VAB in late July, according to a NASA release. Inside the VAB, the two sections were mated and then lifted and secured inside the building's High Bay 2, adjacent to the Artemis 2 SLS in the VAB's High Bay 3. NASA expects the four RS-25 main rocket engines powering the Artemis 3 SLS to arrive from NASA's Stennis Space Center for mounting in early 2026, with the launch vehicle's core stage set to arrive from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, for SLS integration sometime in the Spring.
Ottawa Citizen
06-08-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Salgo: Public service cuts — we've seen massive reductions before
As he prepares his first budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has asked federal ministers to find program spending cuts that will rise to 15 per cent by 2028-29. Calling this a comprehensive expenditure review and not mere cost-cutting, his office says it's about spending less running government in order to invest more in the productive capacity of the Canadian economy. Not to mention that we'll soon be spending a lot more on defence. Article content Article content Champagne took pains to emphasize that this is not a job-cutting exercise. But it's pretty hard to imagine how to cut the cost of operations without cutting staff, especially when major social transfers such as dental, daycare, and provincial transfers are not up for grabs. Article content Article content So, while it's not clear that there will be a 15 per cent cut in the size of the public service, the bureaucracy will have to brace for some serious reductions, a far cry from the cap that Mark Carney talked about during the election. Article content Can this be done? Well, yes — we know because we've done it before. A generation ago, the Jean Chrétien government's Program Review (1994-99) cut total program spending by more than 10 per cent between 1994-95 and 1996-97 — in absolute terms, not based on projected increases. It reduced government spending as a share of GDP from 16.8 per cent to 12.1 per cent over five years and cut the size of the public service by 19 per cent, or 45,000 people (55,000 counting separate agencies). Cutting 15 per cent of today's federal public sector would involve roughly the same number of jobs. Article content How hard this will be depends on what you consider hard. Public sector unions have characterized the review as a betrayal of both workers and Canadians who rely on government services. But Canada's public service grew at a heady pace under Justin Trudeau's government and it's not clear whether there were service improvements to match. It's hard to argue that Canada has right-sized its public service, although we're still waiting on a report from the Working Group on Public Service Productivity to (one hopes) help guide us in this respect. Article content Article content In human terms, the cost of cuts could be very high. The supposedly easy way to cut is through attrition: retirements and other voluntary separations. We don't have firm numbers (the Treasury Board has stopped publishing them) but Public Service Commission data on 'outflows' suggest that the attrition figure in recent years has been in the 10,000 range annually. Another convenient option is not to renew the contracts of term and casual workers, although the cost in both human terms and lost skills may be high. Article content If those rates prove too slow for the government's ambitions, there are ways to encourage voluntary separations. Under Program Review, generous packages such as the Early Retirement Incentive and Early Departure Incentive kept involuntary cuts and labour friction to a minimum. But such incentives are expensive, at least in the short run, and if they're open to everyone by choice you may lose some of your best people. Article content Moreover, while attrition may allay the anxieties of current employees, it's terrible from a strategic perspective. It's unlikely to align tidily with the actual need for skills and, like hiring freezes, it can cost the government a generation of new talent. Article content Governments need to rethink what they do and how, which requires selective rather than random cuts, as well as the infusion of new talent in key areas. Carney's election platform promised to make staffing easier, and his government is framing the cuts as a strategic realignment, none of which meshes with heavy reliance on attrition and hiring freezes. Article content Article content A chance for intelligent cuts Article content The simple truth is that an urgent, fiscally driven exercise like this, even one geared to rethinking priorities, is not going to re-engineer the public service. Attrition, hiring freezes, and overall salary restraint will almost certainly play a role. But the government has an opportunity to be at least somewhat surgical. Champagne was right to ask individual ministers to look at how best to cut in their departments, since central agencies such as the Treasury Board Secretariat don't have the detailed operational knowledge needed for the task. But the assumption is still that almost all departments have broadly the same scope for cuts, which skirts some tough questions. Article content
Epoch Times
05-08-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Carney's Key Ministers in Mexico for Trade Talks Ahead of His Visit
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand are visiting Mexico this week in a bid to strengthen ties amid uncertainty in the relationship with the United States. Champagne and Anand will be in Mexico City on Aug. 5 and 6 to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and their counterparts to 'advance key shared priorities,' such as economic growth, security, and trade, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said in a release.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-08-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Finance and foreign ministers in Mexico to talk trade ahead of Carney's visit
OTTAWA – Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne are in Mexico to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum to talk economic growth, trade and security. Their trip is happening ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney's planned visit to Mexico to meet with Sheinbaum. The U.S. hit Canada on Friday with a 35 per cent tariff on goods not compliant with the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement on trade, known as CUSMA, while Mexico received a 90-day reprieve from threatened higher levies. CUSMA is scheduled for a mandatory review next year. Ontario Premier Doug Ford called last year for a bilateral trade deal between Canada and the United States because he said Mexico was serving as a back door for Chinese auto parts and vehicles entering the North American market. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Anand and Champagne will also meet with Canadian and Mexican business leaders during the two-day trip. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Government job cuts could reach 57,000 as Ottawa slashes spending
Canada's federal public service may face significant job cuts. A report projects up to 57,000 positions could be eliminated by 2028. This follows government directives for spending reductions. Departments like the Canada Revenue Agency may be affected. The Ottawa-Gatineau region is expected to be heavily impacted. The government aims to streamline operations. Previous cuts have already reduced federal employment. The federal public service could lose up to 57,000 jobs by 2028 as Ottawa orders sweeping spending cuts, with key departments and the National Capital Region expected to be hardest Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The federal public service in Canada could shrink dramatically over the next four years, with a new report forecasting up to 57,000 job cuts by 2028. The report, released Thursday(July 24) by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), comes as the federal government pushes for sweeping spending reductions across cuts stem from a directive issued earlier this month by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne , who instructed cabinet ministers to identify 15 percent in program spending reductions by the 2028–29 fiscal projected layoffs would affect a wide swath of federal departments, including the Canada Revenue Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, all of which have already seen declining staff numbers in recent warned that Canadians should expect longer wait times, higher error rates, and reduced capacity to resolve service issues. The Ottawa–Gatineau region, which hosts nearly half of Canada's federal workforce, is expected to take the hardest federal government says the cuts are part of a broader effort to 'return to core responsibilities' while maintaining fiscal discipline. Barb Couperus, spokesperson for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, confirmed that a lower 2 percent savings target will apply to the Department of National Defence, the RCMP, and the Canada Border Services like the Office of the Auditor General and Supreme Court Registrar are exempt due to their independent emphasized that ministers have been instructed to review all spending in their portfolios and prioritize programs that are core to the federal mandate, avoiding duplication with other levels of government. Statutory transfers to provinces and individuals will be maintained, but most other spending, including Crown corporations, is subject to job reductions follow an earlier round of cuts introduced in Budget 2023, which are expected to reach peak impact by 2026–27. Federal employment already fell by nearly 10,000 workers in 2024, dropping from 367,772 to 357, Minister Mark Carney had promised during the spring election campaign to 'cap' but not cut public service employment. However, the commitment was always likely to give way to real reductions, especially after the government committed to large-scale defence spending and tax cuts report also suggests that departments may offer retirement buyouts and eliminate term and casual positions, potentially impacting younger and newer workers disproportionately.
