NASA revises Artemis moon landing goal to 2028, unveiling new strategy to address delays and technical challenges
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 27, 2026, 22:51 IST
NASA is recalibrating its Artemis Moon program, targeting a 2028 lunar landing. The plan adds new missions between existing ones to build launch experience. Artemis 3 will rendezvous in orbit, while Artemis 4 aims for a lunar landing in early 2028, with a possible second landing later that year. The approach builds on the success of prior programs.
NASA announced Friday it is revising its Artemis lunar program to ensure Americans return to the Moon's surface by 2028, adding missions between Artemis 2 and the ultimate landing to improve launch "muscle memory."
The US space agency's strategic revision means Artemis 3 will now aim for a rendezvous in low-Earth orbit of at least one lunar lander, rather than a direct surface mission. Artemis 4 is slated for a lunar landing in early 2028, with the hope of a second Moon landing within the same year.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman stated that speeding up the cadence of Artemis launches would allow for building more institutional knowledge, drawing a parallel to the Apollo program. He noted that past programs like Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and the shuttle program had an average launch cadence closer to three months, not three years.
"We need to start getting back to basics and moving in this direction."
"Launching every three years, your skills atrophy, you lose muscle memory."
This revised architecture comes after multiple delays to the Artemis 2 mission, now scheduled to launch no earlier than April. Artemis 2 is intended to be the first flyby of the Moon in over half a century.
Earlier this week, NASA rolled back its SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft from the launchpad to investigate and repair issues. President Donald Trump had previously set a goal for Americans to return to the lunar surface during his first term.
The US space agency's updated timeline aims to put humans back on the Moon as China progresses with its own lunar ambitions, targeting a crewed mission by 2030. China's uncrewed Chang'e 7 mission is expected to launch in 2026 for exploration of the Moon's south pole. Testing of China's crewed spacecraft, Mengzhou, is also scheduled for this year.
When asked about a potential "space race," Isaacman commented on the role of competition.
"I think competition is good."
"We're here talking to you about what is a common-sense approach to achieve the objective, whether we had a great rival in the running or not."
The Artemis program's goal is to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon and serve as a stepping stone for future Mars missions. The program involves international partnerships and the development of new technologies, including the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The delays have been attributed to various technical challenges, including issues with the SLS rocket's engines and the Orion spacecraft's life support systems. The revised plan aims to mitigate these challenges by incorporating more frequent testing and operational experience. The addition of intermediate missions is intended to allow astronauts and ground crews to gain valuable experience in lunar operations before attempting a surface landing. This approach mirrors the incremental development seen in earlier space programs, which proved successful in achieving ambitious goals. The focus on building "muscle memory" through regular launches is a key element of the new strategy, aiming to prevent the loss of skills and knowledge that can occur with long gaps between missions. The ultimate objective remains to land humans on the Moon and conduct scientific research, paving the way for future exploration. The competition with China is seen by some as a motivator, while NASA maintains that its revised plan is a logical and necessary step to ensure mission success. The agency is committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates on the Artemis program's progress. The revised timeline reflects a pragmatic approach to achieving complex space exploration goals in a safe and effective manner. The focus on operational readiness and continuous learning is central to NASA's strategy for returning to the Moon.
The US space agency's strategic revision means Artemis 3 will now aim for a rendezvous in low-Earth orbit of at least one lunar lander, rather than a direct surface mission. Artemis 4 is slated for a lunar landing in early 2028, with the hope of a second Moon landing within the same year.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman stated that speeding up the cadence of Artemis launches would allow for building more institutional knowledge, drawing a parallel to the Apollo program. He noted that past programs like Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and the shuttle program had an average launch cadence closer to three months, not three years.
"We need to start getting back to basics and moving in this direction."
"Launching every three years, your skills atrophy, you lose muscle memory."
This revised architecture comes after multiple delays to the Artemis 2 mission, now scheduled to launch no earlier than April. Artemis 2 is intended to be the first flyby of the Moon in over half a century.
Earlier this week, NASA rolled back its SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft from the launchpad to investigate and repair issues. President Donald Trump had previously set a goal for Americans to return to the lunar surface during his first term.
The US space agency's updated timeline aims to put humans back on the Moon as China progresses with its own lunar ambitions, targeting a crewed mission by 2030. China's uncrewed Chang'e 7 mission is expected to launch in 2026 for exploration of the Moon's south pole. Testing of China's crewed spacecraft, Mengzhou, is also scheduled for this year.
When asked about a potential "space race," Isaacman commented on the role of competition.
"I think competition is good."
"We're here talking to you about what is a common-sense approach to achieve the objective, whether we had a great rival in the running or not."
The Artemis program's goal is to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon and serve as a stepping stone for future Mars missions. The program involves international partnerships and the development of new technologies, including the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The delays have been attributed to various technical challenges, including issues with the SLS rocket's engines and the Orion spacecraft's life support systems. The revised plan aims to mitigate these challenges by incorporating more frequent testing and operational experience. The addition of intermediate missions is intended to allow astronauts and ground crews to gain valuable experience in lunar operations before attempting a surface landing. This approach mirrors the incremental development seen in earlier space programs, which proved successful in achieving ambitious goals. The focus on building "muscle memory" through regular launches is a key element of the new strategy, aiming to prevent the loss of skills and knowledge that can occur with long gaps between missions. The ultimate objective remains to land humans on the Moon and conduct scientific research, paving the way for future exploration. The competition with China is seen by some as a motivator, while NASA maintains that its revised plan is a logical and necessary step to ensure mission success. The agency is committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates on the Artemis program's progress. The revised timeline reflects a pragmatic approach to achieving complex space exploration goals in a safe and effective manner. The focus on operational readiness and continuous learning is central to NASA's strategy for returning to the Moon.