Artemis III mission operations shift to commercial partner-led lunar access
Artemis III will test docking with commercial landers before 2028 lunar landing.
Event / Science
Artemis Lunar Program
NASA's multi-mission lunar exploration program, including Artemis III crew announcement, low Earth orbit testing, and plans for a permanent lunar base near the south pole by 2029-2030, amid competition with China's 2030 lunar landing target.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 10 Jun, 01:06 UTC
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What happened
Artemis III mission planned for 2027 launch from Kennedy Space Center
NASA's Artemis III mission is targeted for launch no earlier than 2027 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft and four astronauts to low Earth orbit where they will conduct rendezvous and docking tests with commercial lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. The mission is expected to last approximately two weeks.
Blue Origin reports Blue Moon lander development on track for 2027
Blue Origin stated that testing of its Blue Moon Mark 1 cargo lander pathfinder will conclude soon and the lander will be ready for a demonstration flight this year. Manufacturing of the Blue Moon Mark 2 crew lander is reported to be well underway and on track for a 2027 launch in support of Artemis III.
SpaceX will launch Starship V3 with docking adapter for Artemis III instead of full HLS
SpaceX will launch an off-the-line Starship V3 spacecraft with an added docking adapter for Artemis III instead of the full Starship Human Landing System. The pathfinder Starship will not carry life support systems for crew boarding, which explains why the Artemis III crew will not board Starship during the mission. SpaceX is actively building the first flight-fidelity Starship HLS cabin at Starbase for future missions.
Artemis III crew will test rendezvous and docking with commercial landing systems
The Artemis III mission will not include a lunar landing but instead will test complex rendezvous and docking operations in low Earth orbit. The crew will dock with at least one commercial lunar lander being developed by either SpaceX or Blue Origin, conducting technology demonstrations and testing life support systems. After docking operations, the crew will return to Orion and the spacecraft will separate and return to Earth.
NASA announces four astronauts selected for Artemis III mission
NASA announced the four crew members who will fly on Artemis III: Commander Randy Bresnik (NASA), Pilot Luca Parmitano (ESA), and Mission Specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio (both NASA). Bob Hines (NASA) was named as backup crew member. Parmitano is the first European Space Agency astronaut assigned to an Artemis mission.
Artemis IV mission planned for 2028 as first crewed lunar landing
NASA plans the Artemis IV mission for 2028 to be the first crewed mission to the lunar South Pole, following the technology demonstration phase of Artemis III.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket will launch Blue Moon lander for Artemis III
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket will be the first vehicle to launch for Artemis III, carrying the Blue Moon Mark 2 crew lander. The lander will loiter in low Earth orbit until NASA's SLS launches Orion and the crew from Kennedy Space Center. NASA expressed confidence that New Glenn and its launch pad will be ready for the 2027 Artemis III launch despite a recent anomaly that caused a New Glenn test launch to explode.
NASA plans $20 billion lunar base construction beginning 2029-2030
NASA announced plans to construct a permanent base on the moon near the lunar south pole, with construction beginning in the 2029-2030 timeframe. The base will include habitats, solar and nuclear power stations, and will leverage water ice deposits in permanently shadowed craters to provide water, oxygen, and rocket fuel for sustained human operations.
Randy Bresnik logged 149 days in space across two missions
NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, named commander of Artemis III, is a former U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot and TOPGUN graduate who has flown to space twice. He logged 149 days in space total, including a space shuttle flight in 2009 and a long-duration stay on the International Space Station in 2017.
Frank Rubio set US record for longest single spaceflight at 371 days
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, named mission specialist for Artemis III, is an Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot and family physician who spent 371 days aboard the International Space Station in 2022-2023. This duration set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. His extended mission resulted from spacecraft damage requiring a replacement vehicle.
NASA announces four astronauts for Artemis III mission
NASA named four astronauts for the Artemis III mission: Commander Randy Bresnik (NASA), Pilot Luca Parmitano (European Space Agency), and Mission Specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas (both NASA). Bob Hines was named as backup crew member. The announcement was made on June 9 at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during engine test on May 28
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a routine prelaunch engine test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 28. The explosion destroyed the rocket and caused extensive damage to the facility, including Blue Origin's only operational launch pad. The incident raised questions about Blue Origin's readiness for the Artemis III mission, though the company stated it expects to return to flight before the end of the year.
Artemis IV lunar landing mission planned for 2028
Following the successful Artemis III test flight, NASA plans to send astronauts to land on the moon with the Artemis IV mission in 2028, marking the first human lunar landing in over 50 years since the Apollo era ended in 1972. This would achieve the first American moon landing before China's target of 2030.
Artemis III scheduled to launch in 2027 for low Earth orbit test flight
NASA's Artemis III mission is targeted for launch in 2027 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the Space Launch System rocket. The mission will carry four astronauts into low Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking capabilities with commercial lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin, lasting approximately two weeks.
Andre Douglas making first spaceflight on Artemis III
NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, named mission specialist for Artemis III, is a Coast Guard reserve officer and systems engineer selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. This will be his first spaceflight. Douglas previously served as a backup crew member for the Artemis II mission around the moon.
SpaceX and Blue Origin developing lunar landers for Artemis program
SpaceX and Blue Origin are competing to develop and test lunar landers for NASA's Artemis program. Both companies stated in June that they expect their landers to be ready for the Artemis III test flight. SpaceX is developing the Starship lander while Blue Origin is developing the Blue Moon Mark II lander, both of which will launch on heavy-lift rockets to rendezvous with the Artemis crew.
Artemis II mission successfully completed lunar orbit test in April
The Artemis II mission successfully completed in April 2026, sending four astronauts (Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen) on a flight around the moon and back in NASA's Orion spacecraft. The mission lasted 10 days and served as the precursor test for the Artemis III mission.
Luca Parmitano became first Italian International Space Station commander
European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, named pilot for Artemis III, is an Italian Air Force test pilot who became the first Italian commander of the International Space Station during a 201-day mission in 2020. He has completed two spaceflights and experienced a life-threatening incident during a spacewalk when his helmet filled with water.
Artemis III will test rendezvous and docking with commercial lunar landers
The Artemis III mission will test critical rendezvous and docking procedures in low Earth orbit with commercial lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. The crew will dock with Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander for approximately two days to test life support and control systems, then dock with SpaceX's Starship lander for about one day before returning to Earth.
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2 alternative perspectives
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket engine test ends in explosion
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket failed during an engine test at Cape Canaveral on May 28.
Veteran astronauts reach new career milestones in space exploration
Veteran astronauts achieve career milestones: Rubio sets US record at 371 days in space; Parmitano becomes first Italian ISS commander.
NASA budgets $20 billion for lunar base construction starting 2029
NASA budgets $20 billion for lunar base construction starting 2029-2030.
NASA names four astronauts for Artemis III lunar program missions
NASA names Artemis III crew for 2027 launch; Artemis IV lunar landing planned for 2028.