What's happened
NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis I Moon rocket due to tropical storm Ian.
Why it matters
The launch of the Artemis I Moon rocket is significant as it is part of NASA's overarching goal to bring humans back to the lunar surface in 2025. The delay highlights the challenges of space exploration and the importance of safety measures.
What the papers say
All sources report on the delay of the launch due to tropical storm Ian, with some providing additional details on the technical issues that caused previous delays.
How we got here
The launch of the Artemis I Moon rocket had already been postponed twice due to technical glitches, including a fuel leak. The rocket is designed to send astronauts and their equipment back to the Moon after an absence of 50 years.
More on these topics
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. Federal Government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
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The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. At about one-quarter the diameter of Earth, it is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System, the largest satellite in the Solar System relative to its major planet, and larger than any known dwarf planet.
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Artemis 1 is a planned uncrewed test flight for NASA's Artemis program that is the first integrated flight of the agency's Orion MPCV and Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket. It is expected to launch in November 2021.
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The Artemis program is a US government-funded crewed spaceflight program that has the goal of landing "the first woman and the next man" on the Moon, specifically at the lunar south pole region by 2024.
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Charlie Blackwell-Thompson is an American engineer. Blackwell-Thompson is the launch director for NASA's Exploration Ground Systems Program, based at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center.
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The United States Space Force is the space warfare service branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services.