NASA targets 2028 lunar landing after shifting docking to Earth orbit

NASA confirmed on Friday that a crewed mission could land astronauts on the Moon as early as 2028. The agency held a detailed news conference to outline the revised architecture for its Artemis Program, marking the first time it publicly described the full scope of the changes.

The primary modification involves the docking procedure for SpaceX’s Starship vehicle. Under the new plan, the Orion spacecraft will meet the Starship lander in high-Earth orbit. The two vehicles will then travel together toward the Moon. Previously, the plan required a docking maneuver in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the lunar surface.

This shift responds to specific engineering requests from SpaceX. In meetings held in early 2026, SpaceX engineers argued that the old orbital requirement demanded excessive energy and created technical difficulties. The issue became more acute after NASA canceled the Lunar Gateway project earlier this year, removing a key infrastructure element that had supported the previous design.

Blue Origin’s approach follows a different path. Its architecture relies on four separate launches of the New Glenn rocket. None of these launches require one spacecraft to refuel another. The plan still allows for the Blue Moon lander to meet Orion in low-lunar orbit, though the final configuration remains open.

NASA officials stated that the agency still expects to fly Artemis III by the summer of 2027. This mission will serve as a demonstration, testing the docking capabilities of both the Starship and Blue Moon landers near Earth. Artemis IV, which is scheduled to include the first actual surface landing, remains on track for 2028.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed confidence in the agency's ability to meet these dates. "This is an achievable path we are on right now," Isaacman said during the briefing. He noted that the agency has the necessary mandate, resources, and stakeholder support to execute the plan.

Leadership has reviewed every element of the Artemis program to identify ways to streamline the work for lunar lander companies. The next major milestone is the Artemis III demonstration flight, scheduled for 2027, which will validate the new docking procedures before the 2028 landing attempt.