When is the next Moon landing?
Facts as of July 17, 2026 · sourced from NASA
As of July 17, 2026, the next crewed Moon landing is NASA's Artemis IV, targeted for early 2028. It would be the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The date is a target, not a certainty. A 2026 NASA Office of Inspector General report flags that neither candidate lander may be ready for 2028: SpaceX had not yet demonstrated in-space cryogenic refueling or an uncrewed lunar landing, and Blue Origin's crewed lander remained in early development.
Is Artemis III landing on the Moon?
No. NASA restructured the Artemis campaign: Artemis III was redesignated as a crewed low Earth orbit demonstration, and Artemis IV became the first crewed lunar landing of the program. NASA announced the renumbering on February 27, 2026. Artemis III is now a crewed demonstration in low Earth orbit, targeted for mid-2027 (as of July 17, 2026); Artemis IV carries the landing. NASA's announcement is the primary source.
The path to the landing
| Mission | Status |
|---|---|
| Artemis III | Announced: crewed low Earth orbit demonstration, targeted mid-2027 (as of July 17, 2026) |
| Artemis IV | Announced: first crewed lunar landing, targeted early 2028 (as of July 17, 2026) |
| Artemis V | Announced: lunar surface mission, anticipated by late 2028 (as of July 17, 2026); no crew or lander assigned |
Targets are NASA's current plan and can change; each mission page carries the announcement dates.
What about robotic Moon landings?
Robotic spacecraft land on the Moon far more often than people do: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and other national programs send uncrewed landers regularly, with multiple attempts in a typical year. "The next Moon landing" usually refers to the next crewed landing, which is Artemis IV.
Sources
- NASA: mission renumbering announcement (February 27, 2026)
- NASA Office of Inspector General: Artemis schedule risk
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