Image: SpaceX / NASA
Artemis III
Mission Profile
| Launch date | TBD ~late 2027 |
|---|---|
| Launch vehicle | Space Launch System (SLS) Block 1 |
| Spacecraft | Orion + SpaceX Starship HLS test articles (rendezvous/docking demo) |
| Target | Low Earth Orbit |
| Type | Crewed |
| Cost | HLS contract $2.89B + ~$1.15B sustaining + Orion/SLS shared costs |
| Duration | TBD — multi-day low-Earth-orbit demonstration |
| Partners | SpaceX (Starship HLS test articles), ESA (European Service Module), Lockheed Martin (Orion prime) |
Prime Contractors
Companies that built, launched, or operate this mission. Tickers link to their investor profile.
- SpaceX
- Lockheed Martin
- Airbus Defence & Space
- Axiom Space
- Boeing
Overview
Artemis III is no longer a lunar landing mission. In February 2026 NASA redesignated the flight as a crewed rendezvous, proximity-operations, and docking demonstration in low Earth orbit, pairing Orion with SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS) test articles to retire docking and crew-transfer risks before committing crews to the lunar surface. The first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 — and the first ever at the lunar South Pole — moves to Artemis IV, currently targeted for around 2028. On 9 June 2026 NASA named the Artemis III crew: commander Randy Bresnik, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio — holder of the single-flight US spaceflight duration record at 371 days — and Andre Douglas. The mission is targeted for no earlier than late 2027, although independent reporting notes the schedule remains uncertain pending Starship HLS test-article readiness and SLS/Orion processing flow. The redesignation reflects NASA's judgment that the original mid-2027 landing plan was unachievable given the state of the HLS architecture, including the orbital propellant-transfer campaign that a full lunar landing requires. By flying the rendezvous and docking demonstration first, NASA preserves crew launch cadence while the landing elements mature.
Key Milestones
2021-04-16
SpaceX awarded HLS contract for Artemis III ($2.89B)
2024-01-09
NASA delays Artemis III to September 2026
2024-12-05
NASA pushes Artemis III to mid-2027
2026-02
NASA redesignates Artemis III as a crewed LEO rendezvous/docking demo with HLS test articles — lunar landing moves to Artemis IV
2026-06-09
Crew named: Randy Bresnik (commander), Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas
TBD ~late 2027
Launch from Kennedy Space Center (NET)
