"Did We Go to the Moon 50 Years Ago?" Debates Arise Over Delay of US Artemis Lunar Probe Launch

Launch delayed to the 16th due to Hurricane Nicole making landfall in November for the first time in 40 years
Some netizens raise conspiracy theories about 1960s manned lunar landing as project delays

Artemis, the US lunar probe. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] The launch of the Artemis I rocket, originally scheduled for the 14th (U.S. Eastern Time), has been postponed to the 16th due to the impact of Tropical Storm Nicole, which is approaching the east coast of Florida and intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on the 9th that it is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Nicole and has adjusted the target launch date to the 16th, contingent upon the safe return of on-site personnel and successful inspections after Nicole passes.

As the first mission of the Artemis program, which marks humanity's return to the Moon after half a century, the Artemis I rocket, designed for an uncrewed flight to the Moon, was erected on August 16 at the Kennedy Space Center launch pad in Florida. However, after three failed launch attempts due to repeated technical issues such as hydrogen fuel leaks, it was moved back to the assembly building for comprehensive inspections before returning to Launch Pad 39B on the 4th to prepare for launch.

At the time, Nicole was too weak to even be named, but as it approached Florida, it gradually strengthened and is expected to become the first hurricane to make landfall in November in nearly 40 years. Nicole's gusts are forecasted to reach up to 86 miles per hour (137.6 km/h).

NASA considered moving the Artemis I rocket back to the assembly building but concluded that leaving it at the launch pad is the safest option. The Artemis I rocket, part of the Space Launch System (SLS), is designed to withstand strong winds of up to 85 miles per hour (136 km/h) at a height of 18 meters.

NASA stated that adjusting the launch date will allow sufficient time to restore the rocket to launch-ready condition after the tropical storm passes.

The Kennedy Space Center has issued a 'HURCON III' alert, deploying a crisis response team responsible for inspecting the safety of facilities and equipment and conducting initial damage assessments. After Nicole passes, the team plans to inspect the condition of the SLS and the Orion spacecraft around the launch pad.

If no abnormalities are found during this process, the launch will take place between 1:04 a.m. on the 16th (3:04 p.m. KST on the 16th) within a two-hour window. The uncrewed flight to the Moon will return to Earth on the 11th of next month. The backup launch date remains set for the 19th, starting at 1:45 a.m. with a two-hour window, as originally planned.

Meanwhile, as the Artemis program continues to face delays for various reasons, some netizens have raised doubts about the U.S. manned Moon landings from 1969 to 1972. Conspiracy theories and debates have emerged, including comments such as "It's hard to launch an uncrewed rocket now, so how did they send a manned spacecraft in 1969?" "We still can't easily go to the Moon, so how did they go 50 years ago?" and "The Soviet Union knew the Moon landings were faked but turned a blind eye." Humanity first set foot on the Moon with Apollo 11 in 1969, and the last mission was Apollo 17 in 1972.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.