NASA Realigns Artemis Landers, Targets Crewed Moon Landing in 2028
NASA has revised Artemis lander plans with SpaceX and Blue Origin, redefining Artemis III as a low Earth orbit docking test and setting a 2028 crewed landing target.
The story in focus
NASA has restructured its Artemis human landing system plans with SpaceX and Blue Origin to aim for a crewed lunar landing in 2028. Artemis III is redefined as a low Earth orbit rendezvous and docking demonstration with test landers and Orion next year, and neither provider is yet assigned a specific landing mission.
- NASA redefined Artemis III to demonstrate rendezvous and docking between provider test landers and Orion in low Earth orbit next year.
- SpaceX plans in-space cryogenic propellant transfer using Starship tanker and depot vehicles before the lander departs.
- Blue Origin will defer propellant transfer and use three transfer stages to send Blue Moon Mark 2 to an elliptical polar lunar orbit.
- Neither provider has been assigned to a specific Artemis lunar landing mission; NASA will decide the first 2028 landing based on lander readiness.
- Both companies must complete an uncrewed demonstration of their crewed landers before near-term crewed Artemis missions.
Revised architecture and 2028 target
NASA announced on October 23, 2026, that it has streamlined lander designs and changed concepts of operations with commercial human landing system providers Blue Origin and SpaceX, targeting a crewed lunar landing in 2028. The agency redefined Artemis III to demonstrate rendezvous and docking between test versions of each provider's lander and the Orion spacecraft in low Earth orbit next year.
Under the revised approach, landers and Orion will no longer meet in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. Instead they will rendezvous in an orbit that differs for each provider, informed by their systems. Both companies are required to fly an uncrewed demonstration with their crewed landers before near-term crewed Artemis missions.
Diverging lander plans
SpaceX continues to plan in-space transfer of cryogenic propellant, launching multiple Starship tanker vehicles to low Earth orbit to fuel a depot Starship that ultimately refuels the lander. Under the revised operations, Starship HLS will await Orion and its crew in Earth orbit, dock there, then perform a trans-lunar injection burn to carry the combined stack to low lunar orbit. NASA is working to modify Orion to enable Starship to push it to the Moon.
Blue Origin will defer propellant transfer and use three transfer stages to send the Blue Moon Mark 2 Alpha Lander to the Moon. The stages operate like a multistage rocket, launching into low Earth orbit with the lander, then departing for an elliptical polar orbit around the Moon as each stage separates when its propellant depletes. NASA said that orbit offers faster returns from the lunar surface and reduces lander propellant requirements.
Assignments and certification
NASA said neither provider has been assigned to a specific Artemis lunar landing mission. Based on lander readiness, the agency will determine which company first delivers astronauts to the lunar surface and back to lunar orbit in 2028, with a second crewed landing opportunity to follow. NASA is targeting two approximately two-hour Moonwalks during initial surface missions.
When will NASA decide which company lands astronauts on the Moon first?
NASA said it will make that determination based on lander readiness, selecting which company first delivers astronauts to the lunar surface and back to lunar orbit in 2028.
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