Mission

Artemis III

A crewed NASA mission in Earth orbit, planned for 2027, to test docking with the commercial landers that are to take astronauts to the Moon.

Artemis III is a crewed NASA mission in low Earth orbit, designed to demonstrate systems needed for the lunar landings that are to begin with Artemis IV.[1] Four crew members are to launch aboard the Orion spacecraft on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.[1]

The mission

Artemis III is planned to launch in 2027.[2] The crew of four, three NASA astronauts and one from the European Space Agency, is to test rendezvous and docking between Orion and test versions of the commercial human landing systems developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX.[2]

A human landing system is the vehicle that carries astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and back. NASA is working with two US companies on such landers, and on Artemis III it is to test one or both in Earth orbit.[1]

Why test in Earth orbit

Practicing these operations close to home is meant to reduce the risk before astronauts attempt a landing.[1] The mission follows Artemis II, which flew a crew around the Moon in 2026, and prepares for Artemis IV, the first Artemis landing.[2]

Milestones

  1. In 2027 expected
    Crewed launch on SLS

Dates marked expected are agency estimates.

All missions and what each does next

Sources

  1. [1]NASA, Artemis III — nasa.gov, retrieved October 26, 2026
  2. [2]NASA, Artemis — nasa.gov, retrieved October 26, 2026

Related