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5h ago

NASA Overhauls Artemis, Sets 2027 Earth-Orbit Docking Test and 2028 First Moon Landing

NASA says the replan reduces risk by proving docking in Earth orbit first.

NASA has announced major changes to its Artemis program, revising its first planned landing attempt to take place in low-Earth orbit.
NASA's Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) moon rocket with the Orion spacecraft slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
NASA's Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) moon rocket with the Orion spacecraft slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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Overview

  • Artemis III is reconfigured for a mid-2027 crewed Orion rendezvous and docking with commercial lunar landers from SpaceX and/or Blue Origin in low-Earth orbit, with astronauts also evaluating Axiom Space suits.
  • The first crewed lunar touchdown shifts to Artemis IV in 2028, with NASA preparing for the option of a second landing under Artemis V later that year.
  • To raise launch cadence, NASA will standardize on the SLS Block 1 configuration and cancel the Boeing-developed Exploration Upper Stage.
  • Artemis II has been rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to fix a helium-flow blockage following earlier hydrogen leaks, with the next launch opportunities beginning April 1 if repairs proceed as planned.
  • NASA cites oversight concerns about Human Landing System readiness as a driver for the stepwise approach, aiming for roughly annual launches once lunar landings begin.