Mission accomplished for the crew of Artemis II! Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen completed their lunar flyby aboard NASA’s Orion capsule in April 2026. Now that they’ve completed their task, astronomy enthusiasts are already looking forward to Artemis II. But will that mission actually land on the moon?
After Artemis II returned to Earth on April 10, 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, “We are back in the business of sending astronauts back to the moon. This is just the beginning.”
Meanwhile, NASA associate administrator Amit Kshatriy reflected on the last time that NASA actually went to the moon.
“Fifty-three years ago, humanity left the moon,” Kshatriya said. “This time we return to stay. Let us finish what they started. Let us focus on what was left undone. Let us not go to plant flags and leave but to stay with firmness in our purpose.”
So, does this mean that Artemis III will go to the moon? Here’s what we know about the next mission.
When Will Artemis 3 Launch?
Artemis III is projected to launch in 2027, but an exact date has yet to be determined.
Who Are the Artemis 3 Crew Members?
NASA announced the names of the Artemis III crew members on June 9, 2026.
- NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik, commander
- ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano, pilot
- NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, mission specialist
- NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, mission specialist
Will Artemis 3 Land on the Moon?
No, despite the excitement brought by Artemis II’s moon orbit, Artemis III will not actually land on the moon. According to NASA, the Artemis III mission will “launch crew in the Orion spacecraft on top of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land astronauts on the Moon.”
The crew of Artemis III — which has yet to be announced — will “ride to Earth orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft” as a test. The mission will “test one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin, respectively,” NASA indicates on its website.
What Artemis Mission Will Land on the Moon?
Artemis IV is the mission that NASA expects to land on the moon sometime in 2028. This, of course, depends on the success of Artemis III.
