The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Bill Nelson (pictured) announced on Thursday that the agency decided to further postpone the launch of its next Moon missions, with the Artemis II mission launch now planned for April 2026 and Artemis III, which includes a Moon landing, expected in mid-2027, provided the SpaceX lander is ready by then.

"The Artemis campaign is the most daring, technically challenging, collaborative, international endeavor humanity has ever set out to do. And we are committed to ensuring that when we go, we go safely. That's what today's decision is about," Nelson explained. He went on to say that, even with the latest delay, the US still expects to land back on the Moon before "China in 2030."

"And they may go sooner, but they're not sending humans to the South Pole like us. That's where we need to go, so we don't cede it to China," he added.