Half a century later, Nasa is preparing to return under its Artemis programme. The plan aimed for a long-term commitment to construct Space Station Freedom, return astronauts to the Moon “to stay”, and finally send humans to the red planet. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesDuring the 1990s, the International Space Station (ISS) project cemented low-Earth orbit as the priority for human exploration. Moon programme limitsThis repeated cycle of cancelled space projects exposes some inherent limitations to the system for funding lunar exploration. A sustainable Moon programme needs strong multi-sector commitment, and mechanisms in place for guaranteed multi-decade funding.

Source: Irish Examiner April 03, 2026 00:10 UTC