NASA Changes Moon Plan: Landing Now Depends On SpaceX Or Blue Origin

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In the end, NASA's Artemis II mission was iconic in multiple ways. With three American astronauts and one Canadian, a partly European-built Orion spacecraft and an Artemis program with 60 supporting countries, it was a timely reminder of what's possible when nations come together. With fabulous images of Earthset beamed across the planet from as far away as humans have ever been from it -- 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers) -- all eyes turn to what NASA will do next. The space agency plans to put two astronauts on the moon this decade and, in the years after, build a permanent lunar base. Here's everything we know about launch dates and details of Artemis III, Artemis IV and beyond.

Key Facts

Will Nasa Really Land On The Moon In 2028?

According to NASA, the Artemis IV mission, "will be one of the most complex undertakings of engineering and human ingenuity in the history of deep space exploration." That's before they even get to the lunar surface.

The plan was for SpaceX's Starship HLS to be refueled in Earth orbit -- something that would take 15 flights of other Starships -- before going into lunar orbit, where it would rendezvous with NASA's Artemis III crew in Orion. SpaceX was originally contracted to provide its Starship IHS for NASA's first two missions to land on the moon, with Blue Origin asked to provide a lander for subsequent missions.

However, with SpaceX beset by delays, NASA invited others to bid in October 2025. It's effectively now a straight race between SpaceX and Blue Origin, with NASA intending to test whichever lander is ready for its Artemis III crew. If both companies get a lander ready in time, an Elon Musk vs. Jeff Bezos face-off in space -- with NASA as the judge -- is sure to keep interest in Artemis alive.

The Politics Of Nasa

The Artemis II crew's landmark lunar flyby took place on April 6, during the fallout from President Trump's threats to strike Iran's power plants and bridges. As well as sidestepping the opportunity to share in the reflected glory of Artemis II -- arguably NASA's biggest triumph in over 50 years -- the White House published its FY2027 discretionary budget request soon after the mission's launch. It includes a $5.6 billion cut to NASA's discretionary budget, a 23 percent decrease from 2026.