With astronauts set to fly around the Moon for the first time in over half a century when Artemis II launches this spring, 2026 is poised to be a landmark year for space exploration. The mission will be followed by Artemis III, targeted for mid-2027, which will land the first woman and first person of colour on the lunar surface.
However, the programme faces pressure after a year of disruption at NASA, including job cuts and budget proposals that were ultimately rejected by Congress. The confirmation of billionaire Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator in December has raised hopes for a fresh approach, but experts warn that time is short.
Donald Trump has directed NASA to achieve "American space superiority" and plant the US flag on the Moon before the end of his second term. This has framed the Artemis programme as a race against China, which aims to land astronauts by 2030 through its Chang'e project.
Isaacman, a friend of SpaceX chief Elon Musk, has stated that the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket represents the fastest way to return astronauts to the Moon, though he acknowledged it is not sustainable long-term. The future may see a shift to Musk's Starship for later missions.
Casey Dreier, director of space policy at the Planetary Society, noted that the past year saw "a significant amount of disruption" at NASA, including a loss of expertise and a lack of coherent strategy. He added that Isaacman now has at most three years, and potentially only one, before political changes could impact the programme.
Despite these challenges, the Artemis programme appears in better shape than a year ago, with Artemis II nearing launch and Artemis III on track. The success of these missions will be critical for US ambitions to lead in space and counter China's progress.
