Answer · confidence: partial
How often have past space trips missed their launch dates, and why?
Research question: How often have past crewed space goals been announced with a launch date that later passed without a flight, and what usually caused the delay?
The records do not give a count of past crewed space goals whose launch dates slipped, so the frequency cannot be determined from these facts 4. Several examples show announced dates passing without a flight, including the Soviet lunar flyby and landing targets of 1967 and 1968 1022 and the Russian Federatsiya and Angara dates of 2021 and 2023 36. Causes cited include hardware faults such as a buzzing valve on Starliner 5, recurring hydrogen leaks in the Artemis program 31, rivalry between design bureaus 14, and Korolev's death alongside technical, administrative, and financial problems 26. The newest relevant fact is the February 2026 Artemis II delay, about eight months before October 2026 21.
Checked 2026-10-23. Only documented and supported facts are used.
Dig deeper on this questionSources
[1] supported
In August 2015, Roscosmos deputy head Sergei Savelyev said the uncrewed launch of Federatsiya was planned for 2021 and the first crewed flight for 2023.
"6 августа 2015 года заместитель руководителя «Роскосмоса» Сергей Савельев сообщил, что запуск «Федерации» в беспилотном варианте планируется на 2021 год [ 209 ] , а первый пилотируемый полёт состоится в 2023 году"Орёл (космический корабль)
[2] supported
In October 2018, NASA's target dates for the test flights were moved to March and August 2019, after an August 2018 round of revised dates had already slipped.
"В октябре 2018 года даты для тестовых полётов корабля были смещены соответственно на март и август 2019 года"CST-100 Starliner
[3] supported
At the end of 2015, Vladimir Putin asserted that the Angara launch should occur in late 2021 and the first crewed flight in 2023, dates that were later missed.
"Президент России Владимир Путин в конце 2015 года утверждал, что запуск «Ангары» должен состояться в конце 2021 года, а первый пилотируемый полёт — в 2023 году"Орёл (космический корабль)
[4] supported
The document does not give a count of past crewed space goals whose launch dates slipped; it notes that similar themes recur across major human spaceflight programs such as Apollo, Space Shuttle, Shuttle/Mir, and the ISS.
"The reader will no doubt recognize some very similar themes from previous lessons learned, blue-ribbon committee reviews, National Academy reviews, and advisory panel reviews for this and other large-scale human spaceflight programs; including Apollo, Space Shuttle, Shuttle/Mir, and the ISS."Constellation Program Lessons Learned (2011)
[5] supported
The first crewed Starliner launch was delayed in 2024 to May 17 so that a 'buzzing' rocket valve could be replaced, showing a hardware fault as one cause of slips.
"1st astronaut launch of Boeing's Starliner delayed to May 17 to replace 'buzzing' rocket valve"CST-100 Starliner
[6] supported
On 7 December 2018 it was announced that all flight schedules were once again pushed back by one to two years, so the crewed orbital test flight could begin in 2023.
"7 декабря 2018 года было объявлено, что сроки всех полётов в очередной раз сдвинуты на год-два, то есть лётные испытания корабля с полётом на околоземную орбиту могли начаться в 2023 году"Орёл (космический корабль)
[7] supported
The authors attribute the recurring challenges mainly to the Agency's structure and its approach to program formulation, budget advocacy, and management, rather than to a failure to learn from earlier programs.
"This could represent an inability to learn lessons from previous generations; however, it is more likely that similar challenges persist in the Agency structure and approach to program formulation, budget advocacy, and management."Constellation Program Lessons Learned (2011)
[8] supported
All four N-1 test launches failed during the operation of the first stage.
"Все четыре испытательных запуска Н-1 были неудачными на этапе работы первой ступени."Н-1
[9] supported
The Apollo-Saturn lunar crewed program was announced in 1961 with the goal of landing a person on the Moon before the end of the decade.
"нацеленная на достижение Луны человеком до конца десятилетия"Космическая гонка
[10] supported
In August 1964 the Soviet government approved the crewed lunar program, setting a lunar flyby target of 1967 and a lunar landing target of 1968, both of which passed without a crewed flight.
"облёта Луны (« Протон » — « Зонд/Л1 ») к 1967 году и посадке на неё ( Н-1 - Л3 [ 7 ] ) к 1968 году"Советская лунная программа
[11] supported
The Soviet crewed lunar landing program was effectively shut down in 1974 without reaching its goal, and the N-1 work was officially closed in 1976.
"В 1974 году советская лунно-посадочная пилотируемая программа была фактически закрыта до достижения целевого результата"Н-1
[12] supported
The Apollo 13 lunar landing was called off after an oxygen problem and the failure of two of the three fuel cell batteries, and the astronauts returned to Earth at great risk to their lives.
"высадка на Луну была сорвана, астронавтам с риском для жизни удалось вернуться на Землю."Аполлон (космическая программа)
[13] supported
The N-1 program was accelerated after the USSR decided to join the lunar race, turning a station-launch vehicle into the carrier for the L3 lunar expedition ship.
"программа Н1 была форсирована и стала носителем для экспедиционного космического корабля Л3"Н-1
[14] supported
Rivalry between design bureaus led to parallel lunar projects being developed at two or three bureaus, which poor coordination turned into a waste of effort and resources.
"Подобное состояние дел было следствием плохой координации лунной программы и приводило к ненужному распылению сил и средств."Советская лунная программа
[15] supported
Proposals for pre-flight fire technology tests of individual lunar complex stages were most often opposed, which the institute considered essential to achieve the target task.
"Чаще всего нападали на наше предложение о введении предполётных огневых технологических испытаний отдельных ступеней лунного комплекса"Н-1
[16] supported
The MiG-105 Spiral orbital aircraft was never fully built; only tests of scaled-down versions of its second stage were flown.
"полностью система не создана"Космическая гонка
[17] supported
Even after the 1964 decree, the detailed allocation of work among participants was still being debated and settled through private decisions and protocols for about three more years.
"Тем не менее вопросы о детальном распределении работ — кто, кому и на какие системы выдаёт требования — дебатировались и ответы на них расписывались приватными решениями и протоколами ещё три года."Советская лунная программа
[18] supported
After the USSR lost both stages of the lunar race, cosmonaut training for the flyby program was ended in March 1969 and for the landing program in November 1969.
"Ввиду проигрыша СССР обоих этапов «лунной гонки» подготовка космонавтов по лунно-облётной программе была прекращена в марте 1969 г., по лунно-посадочной — в ноябре 1969 г."Советская лунная программа
[19] supported
Some years before December 1963, officials of the Atomic Energy Commission and NASA hoped a nuclear rocket would be ready for testing in 1965, a target that had not been met by then.
"Some years ago officials of the Atomic Energy Commission and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA were hoping a nuclear rocket would be ready for testing in 1965"Image 20 of The Chronicle (Pascagoula, Miss.), December 18, 1963
[20] documented
Space experts in 1963 said only atomic power could send people to Mars, and the first manned Mars expedition was then estimated to be at least 20 years away.
"The space experts say only atomic power can put men on Mars If that is the case the first manned expedition to search for life on the Red Planet appears to be at least 20 years away"Image 20 of The Chronicle (Pascagoula, Miss.), December 18, 1963
[21] supported
NASA delayed the Artemis II crewed lunar fly-by launch by at least a month after testing uncovered problems.
"NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II lunar fly-by mission by at least a month."NASA delays launch of Artemis II lunar mission by a month : NPR
[22] supported
The Soviet N1-L3 lunar landing schedule listed a first crewed landing for September 1968, which never happened.
"10L: First crewed lunar landing (September 1968)"Soviet crewed lunar programs
[23] supported
When the robotic Blue Moon lander was first revealed in March 2017, its first lunar landing mission was projected for 2020, a date that passed without a landing.
"At that time, the first lunar landing mission was projected to take place in 2020."Blue Moon (spacecraft)
[24] supported
The Artemis I uncrewed test flight was delayed by several months in 2022 by recurring hydrogen leaks, an earlier precedent for the current problem.
"Most importantly, the test revealed NASA still has not fully resolved recurring hydrogen leaks that delayed the launch of the unpiloted Artemis I test flight by several months in 2022."Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until ...
[25] supported
The delay came from problems found during a pre-launch wet dress rehearsal, which kept the test from being completed.
"During critical pre-launch testing Monday, mission managers uncovered a number of issues that prevented the completion of the test."NASA delays launch of Artemis II lunar mission by a month : NPR
[26] supported
Korolev's death in 1966, along with technical, administrative, and financial problems, caused both Soviet lunar programs to be delayed.
"Korolev's death in 1966, along with various technical and administrative reasons, as well as a lack of financial support, resulted in both programs being delayed."Soviet crewed lunar programs
[27] supported
NASA had hoped to launch Artemis II as soon as February 8, but the launch slipped after a fueling test uncovered hydrogen leaks.
"Going into the countdown rehearsal, NASA officials hoped a smooth test would clear the way to launch the Artemis II mission as soon as Sunday, February 8."Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until ...
[28] supported
A failed N1 launch in July 1969, made to upstage Apollo 11, destroyed the rocket and launch complex and delayed the N1-L3 program by two years.
"resulted in the destruction of the rocket and the entire launch complex, which delayed the N1-L3 program for two years."Soviet crewed lunar programs
[29] supported
Design work on the Blue Origin robotic lunar lander began in 2016, roughly four years before its first projected landing date.
"Design work on a Blue Origin robotic lunar lander began in 2016."Blue Moon (spacecraft)
[30] supported
The Artemis II hydrogen leak appeared in the same location that leaked during the Artemis I launch campaign nearly three years earlier.
"The leak appeared in the same location it did during the Artemis I launch campaign nearly three years ago."Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until ...
[31] supported
Hydrogen leaks had also plagued the earlier uncrewed Artemis I mission, so this is a recurring problem for the program.
"Hydrogen leaks plagued testing of NASA's Artemis I mission in 2022."NASA delays launch of Artemis II lunar mission by a month : NPR
[32] supported
The Proton-based Zond crewed lunar flyby program was canceled in 1970.
"The Proton-based Zond program was canceled in 1970"Soviet crewed lunar programs
[33] supported
Hydrogen gas concentrations exceeded NASA's safety limit several times during the practice countdown, and the safe limit was set at 4 percent concentration in the housing around the fueling connector.
"Agency officials said in 2022 that the safe limit was a 4 percent concentration of hydrogen gas in the housing around the fueling connector. Hydrogen levels exceeded NASA’s safety limit multiple times during the practice countdown that ran from Monday into early Tuesday."Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until ...
[34] supported
A valve on the Orion capsule that pressurizes the vehicle needed extra attention and took longer than expected to close the hatch.
"A valve that pressurizes the vehicle required additional attention and took more time to close the hatch than anticipated."NASA delays launch of Artemis II lunar mission by a month : NPR
[35] supported
The N1-L3 crewed lunar program was canceled in May 1974, after its planned launches never flew crewed missions.
"However, N1-L3 (as well as N1F-L3M) program was canceled in May 1974"Soviet crewed lunar programs
[36] supported
The Bigelow Commercial Space Station was scheduled for initial deployment in 2021, but the plan was suspended indefinitely after Bigelow temporarily laid off its entire staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Bigelow Commercial Space Station or Space Complex Alpha , was a proposed private space habitat scheduled for 2021 initial deployment although this was suspended indefinitely as a result of Bigelow temporarily laying off their entire staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic ."List of crewed spacecraft
[37] supported
The practice countdown was halted at T-minus 5 minutes and 15 seconds because of a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate, so the launch date was pushed to March.
"NASA said the countdown terminated “due to a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate.”"Unable to tame hydrogen leaks, NASA delays launch of Artemis II until ...
[38] supported
NASA's Gateway lunar space station, planned to be assembled starting from 2027, was cancelled to speed up production and launch of Artemis V and the NASA lunar base.
"Cancelled to speed up production and launch of the Artemis V and the NASA lunar base"List of crewed spacecraft
[39] supported
The American X-20 Dyna-Soar spaceplane program began in 1957 and was cancelled in 1963 before it flew.
"The X-20 Dyna-Soar was a United States Air Force spaceplane intended to be used for military missions. The program to develop the spaceplane began in 1957 and was cancelled in 1963."List of crewed spacecraft
[40] supported
The Soviet space shuttle Buran was cancelled after only one uncrewed orbital flight in 1988.
"Buran , a Soviet space shuttle cancelled after only one uncrewed orbital flight in 1988."List of crewed spacecraft