Overview
- NASA confirmed a contract for ULA’s Centaur V to serve as the SLS upper stage from Artemis IV, canceling the Exploration Upper Stage and the Block 1B path and leaving Mobile Launcher 2 without a role.
- Artemis III shifts from a lunar landing to a low‑Earth orbit rendezvous and docking mission with one or both commercial Human Landing Systems, with the first crewed lunar surface attempt now planned for Artemis IV in 2028.
- Engineers repaired Artemis II’s helium quick‑disconnect issue during the rollback, and NASA is preparing to return the stack to Pad 39B with the first April launch opportunity on April 1 at 6:24 pm EDT.
- Gateway’s status remains uncertain as it was absent from NASA’s replan materials, with no formal cancellation but clear signs of reduced priority under the surface‑focused roadmap.
- Industry partners and some lawmakers have backed the streamlined approach, while Roscosmos reported Baikonur Pad 31 is restored with a Progress cargo launch set for March 22.