Overview
- Artemis III in 2027 will conduct docking trials in low Earth orbit with at least one commercial lunar lander and evaluate new Axiom Space suits rather than attempt a landing.
- NASA now targets Artemis IV for the first astronaut touchdown in 2028, with officials signaling yearly surface missions thereafter and a potential second landing in 2028.
- Artemis II, a crewed lunar flyby, has slipped to no earlier than April after engineers found a helium flow issue in the SLS upper stage and rolled the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building following earlier hydrogen leaks.
- The overhaul follows the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel’s warnings on Human Landing System readiness and is meant to cut complexity while building toward a roughly 10‑month SLS launch cadence.
- Reporting highlights concerns about SpaceX Starship’s progress and notes NASA may consider other HLS options if delays persist, while public reaction includes sharp criticism from former NASA leader Lori Garver.