NASA is accelerating its lunar exploration programme, with plans to test lunar landers developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin in orbit next summer. The mission will be a key step towards returning astronauts to the Moon and establishing a long-term human presence there.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency remains on track to launch Artemis III next summer. The 2-week mission will carry 4 astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion capsule for a docking exercise in Earth’s orbit. It will not include a trip to the Moon.
The mission will involve 3 launches in quick succession from Cape Canaveral. Orion will first dock with Blue Origin’s Blue Ghost at an altitude of around 270 miles (435 kilometres) above Earth before connecting with SpaceX’s Starship in a slightly lower orbit.
NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya described the upcoming exercise enthusiastically, saying, “As a rocket nerd, it’s going to be pretty awesome”.
The agency’s next major milestone, Artemis IV, remains scheduled for 2028. The mission aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the 1st time since the Apollo programme. NASA will keep its options open before deciding whether SpaceX or Blue Origin will provide the lunar lander for the mission.
Isaacman acknowledged that the renewed space race with China could be more competitive than necessary because of delays in previous years. He said NASA is now working to accelerate progress by reducing unnecessary meetings and bureaucratic delays, strengthening its workforce and pushing companies to meet deadlines.
He also highlighted the Apollo programme as a model for faster execution. Between 1968 and 1972, 24 astronauts travelled to the Moon and 12 walked on its surface. Isaacman said the agency is drawing on that experience rather than relying on new management approaches.
Meanwhile, NASA is advancing plans for a Moon base near the lunar south pole, with the 1st launch expected by the end of this year. A Pittsburgh-based company, whose 2024 lunar landing attempt failed, plans another mission targeting the south polar region with a rover and other experiments. Additional landers, rovers and orbiters are expected to follow, potentially placing a lunar vehicle on the surface before the 1st Artemis astronauts arrive.
To reduce risks and speed up the programme, NASA also plans to use lighter, less complex spacesuits for the initial lunar excursions. Axiom Space is developing these suits, known as “sortie suits”, and plans to test them aboard the International Space Station next year.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, part of the Artemis III crew, acknowledged the scale of the programme, saying, “It is incredibly ambitious.” He added, “One thing I’ve always believed and learned is don’t bet against America.”
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