NASA has set out plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028, with an Artemis III test flight in Earth orbit in 2027 to rehearse docking and operations with lunar lander test vehicles from SpaceX and Blue Origin. The agency said Administrator Jared Isaacman and other leaders gave the update on Oct. 23, providing updates on previously announced acceleration plans for the Artemis program.
Under the plan, four astronauts will fly aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft, launched on the Space Launch System rocket, for a planned 14-day mission in Earth orbit. Blue Origin will first launch a Blue Moon lander test article, Orion will dock with it, then SpaceX will launch a Version 3 Starship lander test article while Orion undocks from Blue Moon and docks with Starship. The mission is intended to reduce risk before the Artemis IV landing mission.
For Artemis IV in 2028, astronauts will launch on Orion and SLS from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is working with SpaceX and Blue Origin on landers to carry them to the surface, and both companies have redesigned their approaches to simplify the missions. SpaceX's Starship will refuel in Earth orbit, rendezvous with Orion and carry it toward the Moon; Blue Origin's approach uses transfer stages in Earth orbit to push its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander toward the Moon, where it will meet Orion in a closer lunar orbit before descending. NASA said both companies are targeting support for a crewed landing in 2028, and it is pursuing two upper-stage options for SLS to avoid single-point dependency.
Isaacman said the agency was bringing focus to the mission. "This is a very energized NASA, and these updates are only a small part of that story," he said, adding that "the campaign must move with urgency as strategic competitors pursue a permanent presence beyond Earth."
NASA said hardware for Artemis III is on track, with processing timelines cut by about half, and that it redesigned, built and tested a critical fuel-line component in-house in five months at roughly a tenth of the cost of an earlier outside-vendor estimate. Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons said NASA should be expected to do that kind of work. "It's an example of how we are rebuilding our core competencies and developing centers of excellence in technical functions instead of continuing to outsource expertise," he said.
NASA also announced plans with spacesuit provider Axiom Space to develop a second, lighter suit design called the Sortie suit, roughly half the weight of the larger primary suit, to enable the first moonwalks. The agency said Artemis astronauts will carry out increasingly difficult missions at the lunar South Pole, and that NASA will establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface and build on the agency's foundation for a first crewed mission to Mars.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The 2027 Earth-orbit test and the 2028 landing target set public milestones for NASA's human deep-space program, with the agency saying it is moving faster than previously planned.
- The mission relies on landers from two competing companies, SpaceX and Blue Origin, whose test articles and redesigns will determine whether the schedule holds.
Background
Artemis is NASA's program to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually send crews to Mars. The agency had previously announced plans to accelerate the program, and the Oct. 23 update gave details of how the test flight and landing mission would unfold.
Key Perspectives
Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator: says NASA is bringing extreme focus to the mission and that the campaign must move with urgency as strategic competitors pursue a permanent presence beyond Earth.
Jeremy Parsons, Artemis program manager: says in-house work such as the redesigned fuel-line component shows NASA rebuilding core competencies instead of continuing to outsource expertise.
What to Watch
- Whether Blue Origin and SpaceX keep to their stated targets of supporting a crewed landing in 2028.
- Progress on Artemis III hardware, which NASA says is on track with processing timelines cut by about half.
- Development of the lighter Axiom Sortie suit, which NASA says is intended to enable the first moonwalks.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedNASA has laid out an accelerated Artemis path to a 2028 Moon landing.NASA: “NASA leadership shared the agency’s path to returning Americans to the lunar surface in 2028. Agency leadership provided updates on the previously announced acceleration plans for the Artemis program”
- SupportedArtemis III will test lander operations in Earth orbit in 2027 ahead of a crewed lunar landing in 2028.NASA: “advancing toward the agency’s Artemis III test flight in 2027 and Artemis IV Moon landing mission in 2028.”
- SupportedIsaacman and other agency leaders gave the update on Oct. 23.NASA: “In an update on Oct. 23, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other agency leaders shared the agency’s path”
- SupportedArtemis III will send four astronauts aboard Orion, launched on SLS, on a planned 14-day mission in Earth orbit.NASA: “Four astronauts will fly aboard Orion, launched on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, for a planned 14-day mission in Earth orbit”
- SupportedArtemis III will test rendezvous, docking and operations between Orion and lander test vehicles from SpaceX and Blue Origin.NASA: “The mission will test rendezvous, docking, and operations between NASA’s Orion spacecraft and lunar lander test vehicles from SpaceX and Blue Origin in Earth orbit.”
- SupportedThe Artemis III sequence has Blue Origin launch its Blue Moon test article, Orion dock with it, then SpaceX launch a Version 3 Starship test article as Orion undocks from Blue Moon and docks with Starship.NASA: “Blue Origin will launch a Blue Moon lander test article into Earth orbit, SLS will launch Orion and its crew, docking with the Blue Moon lander test article, then SpaceX will launch a Version 3 Starship lander test article while Orion will undock from Blue Moon and dock with Starship.”
- SupportedArtemis IV is planned for 2028, with astronauts launching aboard Orion and SLS from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA: “For the agency’s Artemis IV mission in 2028, astronauts will launch aboard Orion on the SLS rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.”
- SupportedSpaceX’s Starship will refuel in Earth orbit, rendezvous with Orion and carry it toward the Moon; Blue Origin’s approach uses transfer stages to send Blue Moon Mark 2 toward the Moon, where it will meet Orion in closer lunar orbit before descending.NASA: “SpaceX’s Starship will refuel in Earth orbit, rendezvous with Orion, and then carry the spacecraft toward the Moon. Blue Origin’s approach involves transfer stages in Earth orbit to push its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander toward the Moon, where it will meet Orion in a closer lunar orbit before descending to the surface.”
- SupportedBoth companies are targeting support for a crewed lunar landing in 2028, and NASA is pursuing two SLS upper-stage options to prevent single-point dependency.NASA: “Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are targeting to be able to support a crewed lunar landing in 2028. For Artemis IV, NASA is pursuing two upper-stage options for the SLS rocket”
- SupportedIsaacman said, “This is a very energized NASA, and these updates are only a small part of that story,” and said the campaign “must move with urgency as strategic competitors pursue a permanent presence beyond Earth.”NASA: ““This is a very energized NASA, and these updates are only a small part of that story. We are bringing extreme focus to the mission to ensure delivery of world-changing outcomes as quickly, safely, affordably, and successfully as possible,” said Isaacman. “NASA is driving outcomes to make Moon missions a reality, and we’re not waiting for others to bring their plans to us — the campaign must move with urgency as strategic competitors pursue a permanent presence beyond Earth.””
- SupportedNASA redesigned, built and tested a critical fuel-line component in-house in five months, at roughly a tenth of an earlier outside-vendor estimate.NASA: “NASA also redesigned, built, and tested a critical fuel-line component in-house in five months, at roughly a tenth of the cost of an earlier outside-vendor estimate.”
- SupportedNASA plans with Axiom Space to develop a lighter Sortie suit, roughly half the weight of the larger suit, to enable the first moonwalks.NASA: “NASA also announced plans with spacesuit provider Axiom Space to develop a second, lighter suit design called the “Sortie suit” to enable the first moonwalks. The Sortie suit will not replace Axiom’s primary suit, which will be used for longer, more demanding missions in the future. The Sortie suit is roughly half the weight of the larger suit”
