Delays in the Artemis III Moon Landing: What You Need to Know

NASA has officially pushed back the timeline for its historic return to the lunar surface. While the excitement for Artemis III remains high, the agency has adjusted the target launch date to September 2026. This decision stems from the need to address specific technical challenges with the spacecraft and spacesuits required to keep astronauts safe. Here is a detailed look at the new schedule, the specific hardware delays, and what this means for the future of space exploration.

The Revised Artemis Schedule

In January 2024, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced a major update to the Artemis program schedule. The mission originally slated to put “boots on the moon” by late 2025 has been rescheduled. The new target for Artemis III is September 2026.

This delay also affects the precursor mission, Artemis II. This mission, which will send four astronauts around the Moon without landing, has moved from late 2024 to September 2025. These adjustments are not cancellations. Instead, they provide engineers at NASA and its commercial partners the time needed to troubleshoot critical safety issues.

The agency emphasized that crew safety is the primary driver for the schedule change. As NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free stated, the agency will launch only “when we are ready.”

The Sticking Points: Why the Delay?

The delay is not caused by a single issue. It is a combination of complex engineering hurdles involving multiple contractors. The three main areas of concern are the Human Landing System (HLS), the next-generation spacesuits, and the Orion capsule’s heat shield.

1. SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System

The most significant pacing item for the Artemis III mission is the development of the Starship HLS by SpaceX. Unlike the Apollo missions, where the lander and command module launched together on one rocket, the Artemis architecture is much more complex.

• The Refueling Challenge: SpaceX plans to launch the Starship lander into Earth’s orbit first. However, before it can head to the Moon, it must be refueled in space. This requires roughly ten separate tanker launches to fill the lander’s tanks with cryogenic propellant. This technology—transferring super-cooled propellant in zero gravity—has not yet been proven at this scale.
• Uncrewed Landing Test: Before NASA puts astronauts on Starship, SpaceX must successfully land an uncrewed Starship on the lunar surface and lift off again. This certification mission needs to happen well before September 2026.
• Development Speed: While SpaceX iterates quickly at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, the sheer number of successful test flights required to certify the system for human use is high.

2. Axiom Space Suits

You cannot walk on the Moon in a flight suit. NASA hired Axiom Space to design and build the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) for the lunar surface. These suits must withstand the abrasive lunar dust and the extreme temperature fluctuations at the Moon’s South Pole.

While Axiom has revealed prototypes, the final flight-ready hardware is still in development. The life-support systems inside the suits are undergoing rigorous redesigns to ensure they can handle the harsh environment for extended periods.

3. Orion Heat Shield Issues

During the uncrewed Artemis I mission in late 2022, the Orion capsule performed well, but the heat shield behaved unexpectedly during reentry. Upon analysis, engineers discovered that the charred material on the heat shield wore away differently than predicted. Instead of charring evenly, some pieces chipped off.

Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for Orion, and NASA teams are currently conducting extensive testing to ensure the shield can protect the crew during the 25,000 mph reentry of Artemis II and III. They must guarantee that this “liberation” of charred material does not pose a structural risk to the capsule.

The Mission Profile: How Artemis III Will Work

Understanding the complexity of the mission helps explain why these delays are necessary. The Artemis III mission profile is vastly different from the Apollo landings of the 1960s and 70s.

1. Launch: Four astronauts will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop NASA’s massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket inside the Orion capsule.
2. Transit: Orion will travel to the Moon and enter a unique orbit called a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO).
3. Docking: SpaceX’s Starship HLS will already be waiting in this orbit. Two of the four astronauts will transfer from Orion into Starship.
4. Descent: The two astronauts will descend to the lunar surface in Starship, aiming for the lunar South Pole.
5. Surface Operations: They will spend about a week on the surface conducting science experiments and hunting for water ice.
6. Return: Starship will launch from the Moon, dock with Orion in orbit, and transfer the crew back. Orion will then return the astronauts to Earth.

Because this relies on the perfect synchronization of the SLS, Orion, and Starship, a delay in one component forces a delay in the entire timeline.

Commercial Partners Under Pressure

The shift in the Artemis timeline places significant pressure on NASA’s commercial partners. The agency has moved away from owning all the hardware to buying services from private companies.

• SpaceX: The company is currently focused on getting its Starship into orbit reliably. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversees these licenses, and the regulatory process adds another layer to the timeline. SpaceX must demonstrate consistent orbital success before tackling the propellant transfer tests.
• Blue Origin: Looking beyond Artemis III, NASA has selected Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos’s space company) to provide a second landing system for the Artemis V mission, currently slated for 2029. This provides redundancy, ensuring NASA isn’t solely reliant on SpaceX for the long term.

The Scientific Stakes: The South Pole

The delays are frustrating for space enthusiasts, but the destination justifies the caution. Artemis III is targeting the lunar South Pole, a region we have never explored with humans.

This area is of high scientific interest because of its permanently shadowed craters. Scientists believe these craters contain water ice. If confirmed and accessible, this water could be harvested to create breathable air and rocket fuel (hydrogen and oxygen). This resource is critical for establishing a permanent base on the Moon and, eventually, for missions to Mars.

Landing at the South Pole is much harder than the equatorial landings of Apollo. The lighting conditions are extreme, with long shadows that can hide hazardous boulders and craters. The landing software and sensors must be flawless to navigate this terrain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Artemis program cancelled?

No, the program is not cancelled. The timeline has simply been extended. NASA remains fully committed to the Artemis missions, with hardware for Artemis II, III, and IV currently in various stages of production.

Will China land on the Moon before the US returns?

China has announced a goal to land taikonauts on the Moon by 2030. With the Artemis III delay to September 2026, the US still maintains a schedule lead of several years. However, further delays could narrow this gap.

Why can’t NASA use the old Apollo technology?

The Apollo hardware was designed for short-term stays at the equator and is no longer in production. The manufacturing tooling, supply chains, and expertise from the 1960s no longer exist. Furthermore, Artemis aims for a sustained presence, requiring modern technology capable of supporting longer missions, higher safety standards, and reusability.

What happens if Starship isn’t ready by 2026?

If the Starship landing system is not ready, NASA may transform Artemis III into a different type of mission. It is possible they could fly a crewed mission to the Gateway space station or perform another orbital mission rather than risking a landing before the hardware is certified. However, the current plan remains a 2026 landing.