NASA has officially reshaped its roadmap for returning humans to the lunar surface — and it’s a major shift.
Artemis 3, originally planned as the mission that would land astronauts on the moon, will no longer attempt a lunar landing. Instead, the mission will focus on an Earth-orbit rendezvous in 2027 between NASA’s Orion spacecraft and one or more commercial Human Landing System (HLS) vehicles.
The first crewed moon landing under the Artemis program is now scheduled for Artemis 4 in 2028. A second landing could follow later that same year with Artemis 5.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the change bluntly:
“This is just not the right pathway forward.”
Why NASA Changed Course
The decision comes as engineers continue addressing technical issues with the Artemis 2 Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Recent reviews, including findings from NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), raised concerns about mission complexity, schedule pressure, and the readiness of commercial lunar landers.
Under the original architecture, Artemis 3 relied heavily on a fully operational Human Landing System — a dependency the advisory panel identified as carrying “significant risks at the mission level.”
Rather than push forward with a high-risk first lunar landing, NASA is simplifying Artemis 3. The mission will now serve as a proving ground in low Earth orbit, allowing engineers and astronauts to test critical procedures such as:
- Cryogenic fuel transfer and storage in space
- Rendezvous and docking with Orion
- Operational integration between Orion and commercial landers
This reduces complexity and improves safety before committing to a crewed descent to the lunar surface.
The Role of SpaceX and Blue Origin
NASA has contracted two commercial partners for lunar landings:
- SpaceX will use its Starship vehicle for Artemis 3 and Artemis 4.
- Blue Origin will provide its Blue Moon lander for Artemis 5.
While Starship has completed multiple suborbital test flights, it has not yet achieved several milestones required for human-rated lunar missions. These include in-space refueling demonstrations and a full uncrewed lunar landing and ascent.
Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander is also still in development, with its Mark 1 pathfinder undergoing testing.
NASA’s new plan gives both companies more time to demonstrate full mission capability before astronauts rely on the systems for lunar surface operations.
Standardizing the SLS and Increasing Launch Frequency
Beyond reshuffling missions, NASA is making structural changes to the SLS rocket program.
The agency plans to standardize the SLS configuration to streamline manufacturing and reduce turnaround time between launches. The goal is ambitious: move from one launch every three years to approximately one launch every ten months.
To support this cadence, NASA intends to rebuild internal expertise and strengthen its workforce.
Isaacman compared the strategy to the Apollo era:
“We did not just jump right to Apollo 11. We built experience through Mercury, Gemini, and frequent Apollo missions.”
The message is clear: higher launch frequency improves reliability, safety, and operational maturity.
Artemis 2 Still Targeting April Launch
Meanwhile, preparations continue for Artemis 2 — the first crewed Orion mission.
The rocket was recently rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building after engineers detected a helium pressurization issue during a wet dress rehearsal. Earlier testing also encountered liquid hydrogen leaks.
NASA teams are working to identify the root cause and implement corrective measures. The current target launch window opens April 1, with additional opportunities in early and late April.
Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts:
- Reid Wiseman
- Victor Glover
- Christina Koch
- Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency)
The mission will last approximately 10 days and will send the crew on a loop around the moon before returning to Earth.
The Bigger Picture
Artemis 1 successfully completed an uncrewed mission around the moon in 2022. Artemis 2 will test crewed deep-space operations. Artemis 3 will now validate landing systems in Earth orbit.
If all proceeds as planned, Artemis 4 in 2028 will mark humanity’s long-awaited return to the lunar surface.
NASA’s revised strategy signals a shift from aggressive scheduling toward operational realism. The agency is choosing to reduce risk, simplify architecture, and build experience before committing to a crewed lunar landing.
It may delay the milestone but it strengthens the foundation.
And for a program intended to establish a sustained human presence on the moon, long-term stability matters more than rushing the first step.
