Nasa has announced a major revision to its Artemis III mission, abandoning plans for an immediate return to the lunar surface and instead focusing on technology testing in low-Earth orbit. The change, confirmed by newly appointed administrator Jared Isaacman, delays the first human moon landing since 1972 until at least 2028.
Under the revised timeline, Artemis III—originally intended as the first crewed lunar landing in over 50 years—will now launch by mid-2027 as a low-Earth orbit mission to test critical systems. A new Artemis IV mission is scheduled for 2028 to achieve the moon landing, followed by annual missions including Artemis V later that year.
The decision follows mounting technical issues and safety concerns. A recent report from the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel sharply criticised Nasa’s plans as overly risky, urging an immediate rethink. Delays have plagued the program, with Artemis II—a crewed flyby of the moon—pushed back from 6 March to at least 1 April due to a helium flow blockage in the rocket’s upper stage, following earlier hydrogen leaks.
Isaacman described the new approach as evolutionary, stating that incremental steps would reduce risk. He likened the strategy to the Apollo program, which conducted two crewed lunar missions before the historic Apollo 11 landing in 1969. “Everybody agrees this is the only way forward,” he told reporters.
The eventual goal remains landing astronauts near the moon’s south pole, with plans for yearly human missions thereafter. The changes aim to provide additional flight experience and refine technology before attempting a lunar landing.
