NASA's Artemis II mission, a crewed test flight around the Moon, is scheduled for April 2026 and appears on track. However, the subsequent Artemis III mission, intended to return astronauts to the lunar surface by mid-2027, faces growing uncertainty. A key challenge is SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System (HLS), which must demonstrate several milestones, including an uncrewed lunar landing and liftoff, before carrying a crew.
Pictured on the left, SpaceX's lunar Starship is a customized version of the baseline ship meant to land NASA astronauts on the Moon Credit: SpaceX
Artemis II: A Critical Step Toward Lunar Return
Artemis II will mark the second test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule, following the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022. This time, a crew of four—three Americans and one Canadian—will embark on a 10-day free-return trajectory around the Moon. Though they won’t enter lunar orbit or land, the flight will test critical systems.
Initially planned for 2024, the mission was delayed due to issues with Orion's heat shield. Engineers ultimately decided to use the current design for Artemis II but will modify it for Artemis III and beyond. Despite potential challenges during final integration, NASA officials remain optimistic. Lori Glaze, NASA’s Acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development, recently described the program as being in a "great spot" during a presentation at the American Astronautical Society’s Goddard Space Science Symposium.
Artemis III: Hurdles Ahead for the Lunar Landing
Artemis III aims to land astronauts on the Moon in mid-2027. However, its success hinges on SpaceX’s ability to meet several technical milestones with its Starship HLS. The vehicle, still under development, must perform an uncrewed lunar landing and demonstrate the ability to lift off from the surface—a new requirement added by NASA in December 2023.
SpaceX is also tasked with perfecting in-orbit refueling, a critical step for long-distance missions, but the technology has yet to be proven. Glaze expressed hope that SpaceX will achieve propellant transfer tests this year. However, the company has been vague on how many launches will be required to fuel a single lunar mission, estimating "10-ish" flights.
Spacesuits and Future Missions in Development
In addition to the lander, Artemis III astronauts will need lunar spacesuits being developed by Axiom Space. Glaze noted that progress on the suits is advancing steadily.
NASA is also looking ahead to Artemis IV and V, which will involve interactions with the Gateway lunar space station and feature landings using both SpaceX and Blue Origin's Human Landing Systems.
Political Factors and Program Stability
The future of the Artemis program remains somewhat uncertain following former President Trump’s return to office. Trump, who previously endorsed Mars missions over lunar exploration, has not yet proposed changes to Artemis. However, recent removal of diversity-related language from the program’s website reflects his broader federal policies.
For now, NASA’s focus is on Artemis II. The agency continues to post images of the SLS being assembled at Kennedy Space Center, with the orange core stage, solid rocket boosters, and Lockheed Martin’s Orion capsule being stacked in preparation for its 2026 launch.
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