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By Shubhangi Mathur, 12:37 PM ET
Elon Musk offered his aerospace company, SpaceX’s services to help NASA build spacesuits after reports of the agency’s program being behind schedule.
A report by NASA’s inspector general on Tuesday highlighted lagging of one of the agency’s mission due to the delay in building spacesuits.
Musk, in a tweet, wrote, “SpaceX could do it if need be.”
SpaceX has made flight suits for astronauts launching into orbit in the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
CNBC reported that on Musk’s offer, NASA spokesperson Monica Witt pointed to the agency’s request last month to companies in the space industry for feedback on “purchasing commercial spacesuits, hardware, and services.”
NASA’s inspector general said the spacesuits won’t be ready in time due to delays “attributable to funding shortfalls, COVID-19 impacts, and technical challenges” and soaring cost.
The report said the spacesuits will “not be ready for flight until April 2025 at the earliest” which were originally scheduled to be ready by March 2023.
NASA needs spacesuits for its Artemis program, announced by former President Donald Trump’s administration and has continued under President Joe Biden.
Artemis consists of multiple missions to the moon’s orbit and surface, with NASA aiming to land astronauts on the lunar body by 2024, reported CNBC.
Inspector general has, though, warned delay in schedule despite NASA’s commitment to the 2024 timeline.
Earlier this year, Musk called the 2024 timeline “actually doable” after SpaceX won a $2.9 billion contract to use its Starship rocket to deliver astronauts to the moon’s surface for NASA.
(With inputs from CNBC)
Picture Credits: CNBC