To Be Assigned
CommanderCrew selection for Artemis III has not yet been announced. NASA is expected to assign crew closer to the mission date.
Artemis Program
Orbital Test
Artemis III
Earth orbit rendezvous and docking test with commercial lunar landers — redesigned from the original crewed landing plan in February 2026.
Mission imagery coming soon
Mission Overview
Artemis III was originally planned as the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. In February 2026, NASA restructured the Artemis program and redesigned the mission as an Earth orbit test flight — similar in concept to Apollo 9, which tested the lunar module in Earth orbit before it was used for the actual Moon landing on Apollo 11.
Four astronauts will launch aboard the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft and rendezvous in low Earth orbit with one or both commercial lunar landers from SpaceX (Starship HLS) and Blue Origin (Blue Moon). The crew will practice docking, test integrated life support and communication systems, verify propulsion, and conduct in-space tests of the new xEVA suits — all without the risk of attempting these procedures for the first time at the Moon.
The restructuring followed warnings from NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel that the original Artemis III was attempting too many firsts simultaneously. By validating lander docking and crew transfer in LEO first, NASA aims to de-risk the actual lunar landing, now planned for Artemis IV in 2028. This approach also supports the agency's goal of increasing Artemis launch cadence to one mission per year.
Technical Overview
Mission Type
Orbital Test
Rendezvous & docking in LEO
Crew Size
4
Astronauts
Orbit
LEO
Low Earth Orbit
SLS Configuration
Block 1
Standardized configuration
Docking Targets
1–2 landers
Starship HLS &/or Blue Moon
EVA Suits
xEVA
Next-gen suits tested in orbit
Analogy
Apollo 9
LEO test before lunar landing
Prepares For
Artemis IV
First crewed landing (2028)
Mission Objectives
01
Rendezvous & Docking
Demonstrate Orion's ability to rendezvous and dock with one or both commercial lunar landers (SpaceX Starship HLS and Blue Origin Blue Moon) in low Earth orbit.
02
Integrated Vehicle Checkout
Verify docking mechanisms, life support integration, communications between Orion and lander systems, and propulsion checkout of the docked configuration.
03
Crew Transfer Validation
Practice crew transfer procedures between Orion and the commercial lander, validating the crew pathway that will be used during the Artemis IV lunar landing.
04
Next-Gen xEVA Suit Test
Test the new Extravehicular Activity (xEVA) suits in the orbital environment, verifying suit performance and crew procedures before lunar surface use.
05
De-Risk Artemis IV Landing
Reduce risk for the crewed lunar landing by validating critical rendezvous, docking, and crew transfer operations in LEO — where abort options exist — before attempting them at the Moon.
Spacecraft
Spacecraft diagram coming soon
01
Orion Crew Module
Capsule carrying 4 astronauts to LEO and back. Equipped with docking systems validated on Artemis II and life support proven in deep space.
02
European Service Module (ESM)
Provides propulsion, power, and thermal control for Orion. Built by Airbus for ESA with four solar array wings.
03
Space Launch System (SLS)
NASA's super heavy-lift rocket providing 8.8 million lbf of thrust at liftoff, delivering Orion to low Earth orbit in the standardized Block 1 configuration.
04
SpaceX Starship HLS
SpaceX's Human Landing System, launched separately to LEO. Orion will practice rendezvous, docking, and crew transfer procedures with Starship.
05
Blue Origin Blue Moon
Blue Origin's lunar lander, also potentially launched separately to LEO. The mission may include docking with one or both commercial landers.
Crew
To Be Assigned
PilotCrew selection for Artemis III has not yet been announced. NASA is expected to assign crew closer to the mission date.
To Be Assigned
Mission Specialist 1Crew selection for Artemis III has not yet been announced. NASA is expected to assign crew closer to the mission date.
To Be Assigned
Mission Specialist 2Crew selection for Artemis III has not yet been announced. NASA is expected to assign crew closer to the mission date.
Mission Updates
Mission Redesigned: From Crewed Landing to Earth Orbit Test
NASA announced sweeping changes to the Artemis program. Artemis III has been redesigned from a crewed lunar landing to an Earth orbit test mission, practicing rendezvous and docking with commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin in LEO. The first crewed landing is now planned for Artemis IV in 2028. NASA also cancelled the SLS Block 1B upgrade and aims to increase launch cadence to one mission per year.
Read SourceArtemis III Pushed to Mid-2027
NASA announced Artemis III has been rescheduled to mid-2027, following delays to Artemis II caused by Orion heat shield investigation.
Read Source