NASA confirms 2028 lunar landing plan

NASA confirmed on Friday that its next crewed lunar landing is targeted for 2028, a date the agency says remains achievable despite major changes to mission architecture. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated during a news conference that the agency has the mandate, resources, and stakeholder support to execute the plan. He described the current trajectory as an achievable path for returning astronauts to the Moon.

The most substantial change involves SpaceX’s Starship. Previously, the spacecraft was required to dock with Orion in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. SpaceX engineers requested a shift to high-Earth orbit during meetings in early 2026. NASA accepted this change because the lunar orbit requirement demanded excessive energy. The decision was further simplified when NASA canceled the Lunar Gateway earlier this year.

Blue Origin’s approach differs significantly. Its plan relies on four launches of the New Glenn rocket. Unlike the SpaceX design, the Blue Origin architecture does not involve refueling one spacecraft from another. The Blue Moon lander may meet Orion in low-lunar orbit, though this remains an open variable in the current design.

The agency maintains that Artemis III will fly in the summer of 2027. This mission serves as a demonstration where Orion will dock near Earth with both the Starship and Blue Moon landers. Artemis IV, the first mission to include an actual surface landing, remains on track for 2028. NASA leadership reviewed every element of the Artemis program to help lander companies accelerate their work.

Isaacman and his team acknowledged that the mission architecture has changed in ways that were not previously detailed in public. The Friday presentation marked the first time the agency described the full approach openly. While much of the underlying information had been reported by other outlets, NASA confirmed the specific orbital mechanics and launch sequences for the first time.