4.08.2026

At Kennedy Space Center, NASA presses toward Artemis III launch next year

NASA is pressing ahead with plans to launch Artemis III next year, a mission that would test lunar landers in Earth orbit as the agency works toward returning astronauts to the moon for the first time since the Apollo program.

It's too soon for an official launch date.

But the anticipated follow up to Artemis II’s test flight around the moon is set to liftoff sometime in 2027 from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39B. The mission calls for the Orion spacecraft to dock with both the Blue Origin Mark 2 and SpaceX Starship lunar landers in Earth orbit.

This test flight was added to the schedule by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman to get the agency flying NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket more frequently. It also gives NASA a chance to test the lunar landers in a lower-risk environment before the planned Artemis IV moon landing. That Artemis IV mission, tentatively set for 2028, would mark the first time astronauts have visited the moon since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

The Artemis III crew includes Commander Randy Bresnik; Pilot Luca Parmitano, an Italian from the European Space Agency; Mission Specialist Andre Douglas and Mission Specialist Frank Rubio. Bresnik, Douglas and Rubio are all from NASA.

While Blue Origin continues to rebuild its Cape Canaveral New Glenn launch pad after a May 22 mishap and Starship has yet to reach orbit, NASA continues to make progress with the SLS rocket.

“Artemis III continues to come together. Grateful to all the NASA teams, our contractors and partners, all working so diligently towards this national imperative. We are going,” wrote Isaacman.

SLS has experienced multiple delays over the years and is estimated to cost upwards of over $4.1 billion per launch.

“Launching less does not make it cheaper, nor does it make it safer. We are going to make the most of the hardware we have until another vehicle can affordably and routinely take over the mission.” Isaacman wrote on X.

The giant orange core stage of the rocket arrived at Kennedy Space Center in late April. It's in the Vehicle Assembly Building awaiting the installation of the four RS-25 engines. Most of the engines have arrived at KSC, per NASA's last update.

The Orion spacecraft has also had its heatshield installed. Once all is complete, all these parts will be stacked to make up the SLS ahead of a rollout to the launch pad sometime in 2027.

Meanwhile, the Artemis III astronauts have begun their training. On July 27, NASA updated that the four had completed training inside the orange spacesuits, familiarizing themselves with maneuvering suited up while inside a mockup of the Orion.

Quelle: Florida Today