US — Ars Technica
NASA updates lander plans for Moon landings, finally solves long-festering Orion issue
Space1 min read
NASA shared new details on how it plans to return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2028. The plan includes several big changes to how the lunar landers and the Orion spacecraft will work together.
What happened
At a long news conference on Friday, NASA explained its plan for the Artemis Program, which aims to send astronauts back to the Moon's surface. NASA admitted that some parts of the plan have changed. For SpaceX, the Orion spacecraft will now meet the Starship lunar lander in high-Earth orbit (a high path far above Earth) before both travel to the Moon. For Blue Origin, the plan uses four launches of its New Glenn rocket but no refueling in space.
Key numbers and dates
- Astronauts could return to the Moon as soon as 2028.
- Artemis III, a test that docks with both Blue Moon and Starship near Earth, is still planned for "summer" 2027.
- Artemis IV, which would include a real landing on the Moon, is still aimed for 2028.
- Blue Origin's plan uses four New Glenn rocket launches.
Why the plan changed
SpaceX engineers asked NASA early in 2026 to remove the need to dock with Orion in a special halo orbit around the Moon. That orbit needed more energy and caused other problems. NASA canceled the Lunar Gateway earlier this year, which solved this problem for SpaceX.
Why it matters
The Artemis Program is a major step in returning people to the Moon. These changes show NASA is looking closely at every part of the program and trying to help companies move faster. However, it is still unclear whether NASA can really keep these dates.
What to watch
- Whether the Artemis III test in summer 2027 happens on time.
- Whether the Artemis IV Moon landing can be completed in 2028.
- How well the docking plans work in high-Earth orbit and low-Lunar orbit.
Glossary
- Artemis Program
- NASA's program to send astronauts back to the Moon's surface.
- Orion
- NASA's spacecraft that carries astronauts to the Moon and back.
- Starship
- SpaceX's large rocket and spacecraft system; here it is used as a lunar lander.
- Blue Moon
- Blue Origin's lunar lander that is planned to carry cargo or people to the Moon.
- New Glenn
- Blue Origin's large rocket used to launch spacecraft into space.
- Lunar Gateway
- A planned space station near the Moon that NASA canceled earlier this year.