The Inspector General of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has disclosed that since NASA's selection of SpaceX's 'Starship' rocket as the lunar lander for astronauts in 2021, its development has encountered delays of at least two years. It is anticipated that numerous issues will still require resolution prior to astronauts setting foot on the moon, prompting NASA to explore strategies to expedite the plan. NASA is working in tandem with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to propel the Artemis program forward, aiming to accomplish regular moon landing missions before China is projected to achieve a manned lunar landing around 2030. However, the development setbacks of the 'Starship' have already forced a postponement of the initial 2024 target for the moon landing.

The 'Starship,' serving as the lunar lander for astronauts, confronts a multitude of challenges. These include the necessity to launch multiple Starships as tankers for in-space refueling and to execute ultra-cold propellant transfers in low Earth orbit, which represents a formidable technical hurdle. The paramount risk that concerns NASA is the potential immaturity of the cryogenic technology and capabilities developed by SpaceX by the time of the 2028 moon landing. Since 2023, SpaceX has undertaken 11 test flights of the Starship system. Last month, NASA augmented the number of test missions, acknowledging the technical obstacles faced by the contractor, and established 2028 as the target date for the 'Starship' to achieve a moon landing.