NASA Details Artemis III and IV Test Flights and Lunar Landing Options
NASA gave an update on its Artemis III and IV plans, with the agency still targeting a crewed return to the Moon in 2028. Artemis III is planned as a 14- to 17-day low-Earth-orbit test involving Orion, the SLS rocket, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, and a SpaceX Starship docking demonstration. For Artemis IV, NASA outlined two possible mission architectures using either SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s New Glenn and Mark 2 lander, without announcing a selection.
Artemis III would spend roughly two weeks in low Earth orbit and involve three rockets plus Orion and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon test vehicle. New Glenn would fly first without crew, then SLS would send astronauts aloft; Orion would meet Blue Moon around flight day three.
Crew members would board Blue Moon on days four and five to check life support and emergency systems. Starship would launch on day six and conduct a two-hour docking with Orion on day eight, without crew transfer. Artemis IV remains a choice between Starship and New Glenn/Mark 2.
The plans could affect aerospace workers, lunar-science teams, and companies competing for lander contracts, while taxpayers may see costs and schedules shift. A 2028 crewed landing may shape public expectations about US space leadership and international competition, but delays or test failures could temper those hopes. The outcome may also influence how quickly commercial rockets and landers are judged ready for human missions.