Overview
- NASA will insert additional missions between Artemis II and the first surface return, adopting a more incremental, Apollo-style cadence.
- Artemis II, a crewed lunar flyby, is now targeted for early April at the earliest after a rocket issue reported as helium leaks.
- Artemis III is moved up to mid-2027 as a non-landing flight focused on Earth-orbit rendezvous tests between Orion and one or two lunar landers.
- The first crewed landings are now slated across two missions in 2028, with SpaceX and Blue Origin continuing human-landing-system development.
- The agency says the restructured campaign is designed to establish a durable presence on the Moon and lay groundwork for future Mars missions.