Artemis Schedule: NASA Sets 2028 Moon Landing Target After Orbital Change

NASA detailed its revised plans for returning astronauts to the lunar surface during a news conference on Friday. The agency confirmed that a crewed landing could occur as early as 2028. This timeline aligns with the schedule for the Artemis IV mission.

The most notable change involves the SpaceX Starship vehicle. Under the new architecture, the Orion spacecraft will dock with the Starship lander in high-Earth orbit. The combined stack will then travel toward the Moon. This replaces the previous plan for a rendezvous in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the lunar surface.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed confidence in the updated timeline. He stated that the agency has the necessary mandate and resources to execute the plan. "This is an achievable path we are on right now," Isaacman said. He added that support from stakeholders allows the team to proceed as intended.

SpaceX engineers requested this specific change during meetings with NASA in early 2026. The original requirement for a lunar orbit docking demanded higher energy expenditure and created additional technical difficulties. The issue became less critical for the company after NASA canceled the Lunar Gateway project earlier this year.

Blue Origin is pursuing a different approach with its New Glenn rocket and Blue Moon lander. That plan requires four separate launches and does not involve in-space refueling. The Blue Moon lander may meet Orion in low-lunar orbit, a configuration that remains open for development.

NASA officials maintain that the Artemis III demonstration mission is still on track for the summer of 2027. This flight will test the docking capabilities of both the Starship and Blue Moon vehicles near Earth. The agency described Friday's presentation as its most comprehensive public account of the mission architecture to date.