Will NASA's Artemis program land astronauts on the Moon before 2028?

Artemis II (crewed lunar flyby) is currently scheduled for late 2025 or 2026, with Artemis III (crewed landing) targeted for 2027. However, NASA programs have historically experienced delays, and the Starship Human Landing System (HLS) requires significant development including orbital refueling demonstration. The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft have proven capable with Artemis I, but the HLS dependency creates schedule risk. A 2027 landing is optimistic but not impossible if SpaceX accelerates HLS development.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2026

Resolves YES if NASA astronauts land on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program before January 1, 2028. Both astronauts must reach the surface; an orbital-only mission does not count.

Source: NASA Official Communications / NASA TV

Expected resolution: January 15, 2028