Artemis III in 2027 and Artemis IV: When Will Humans Land on the Moon?

When will humans land on the Moon again? As of late October 2026, the honest answer is "probably not before 2028, and possibly later." Artemis II carried four astronauts around the Moon and back in April 2026, and by most accounts it went well. But NASA has since reshaped the next steps: Artemis III is now planned for 2027 as an Earth-orbit docking test, and the first crewed landing since Apollo 17 in 1972 has moved to Artemis IV, targeted for early 2028.

This post lays out what changed, why, and what to watch.

What Artemis II proved

Artemis II was the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System and the Orion capsule. It sent four astronauts on a record-setting trip beyond the Moon and home. Post-flight reporting says Orion survived its high-speed return, with improved heat shield performance and accurate splashdown targeting, and that only minor issues remain to resolve.

That matters because the heat shield was the biggest worry after the uncrewed Artemis I flight in 2022, when the shield wore in unexpected ways. A clean crewed return is the main reason the program can move forward.

Why Artemis III changed

The original plan had Artemis III landing astronauts near the lunar south pole. The revised plan is more cautious. Artemis III, now aimed at 2027, will take a crew into Earth orbit to practice rendezvous and docking between Orion and commercial spacecraft. NASA has said it will share more detail on mission design and crew closer to launch.

The change followed an independent safety panel describing the earlier timeline as high risk. The reasoning is simple: a landing needs a lander, and the landers are not ready.

Where the landers stand

Both commercial landers are still in development:

• SpaceX Starship HLS: a modified Starship that must be refueled in orbit by multiple tanker flights, a technique not yet demonstrated at scale.
• Blue Origin Blue Moon: a lander being developed as a second option.

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has reported that both companies are running well behind schedule. SpaceX also flew the first Starship V3 test in May 2026, which shows progress, but it remains a test program rather than a certified crew vehicle.

The Artemis timeline at a glance

Dates are targets, and an independent report has called the schedule likely unrealistic. Treat 2028 as a goal, not a promise.

What could slip the Moon landing date

Several things have to go right in sequence:

1. Orbital refueling must work for Starship, or Blue Origin's lander must reach readiness.
2. A lander must be flown uncrewed to the Moon and back, or otherwise be shown safe.
3. Artemis III must prove Orion can dock with commercial vehicles.
4. SLS and Orion production must keep pace.
5. Budgets and politics must stay supportive across administrations.

Any one of these can add months. Past Artemis dates have moved repeatedly, so a slip into 2029 or beyond would not be surprising.

Why the Moon matters beyond flags and footprints

The Moon is a testing ground. Lunar south pole ice may supply water, oxygen and propellant, which is the same logic behind asteroid mining and Mars settlement. Learning to mine, process and use resources one light-second from home is far cheaper than learning it at Mars distances. We compared the two destinations in Mars vs Moon: where should humans settle first.

How this connects to Frontier

Frontier is a community-funded project aiming at asteroid resources first, then Mars and Titan. We watch Artemis closely because the technologies it forces into existence, such as in-space refueling, long-duration life support and resource extraction, are the same ones any asteroid or Mars effort will rely on. Frontier is built in public, uses a fixed-supply token (FRNT) on Base, and holds its treasury in a multisig, so anyone can follow how decisions are made. The Moon is a stepping stone, not the destination.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next crewed Moon landing? NASA is targeting Artemis IV in early 2028, but this depends on commercial landers that are reported to be behind schedule. A later date is plausible.

Will Artemis III land on the Moon? No. Under the revised plan, Artemis III in 2027 is an Earth-orbit mission to test docking between Orion and commercial spacecraft.

Did Artemis II land on the Moon? No. Artemis II flew a crewed trip around the Moon and back in April 2026, without landing.

Why is Starship important to Artemis? Starship HLS is one of two planned landers. It needs in-orbit refueling to reach the Moon with useful cargo, so its progress strongly affects the landing date.

Sources: reporting on Artemis II and the revised Artemis schedule from ABC News and Deseret News (April 2026), and Starship V3 flight coverage (May 2026).