Orbit

Artemis III launch date

Artemis III is a crewed test flight in low Earth orbit, not a Moon landing. NASA's SLS rocket launches four astronauts in Orion from Kennedy Space Center, and the crew practises rendezvous and docking with test versions of the commercial Moon landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. The first crewed landing is now planned for Artemis IV in 2028.

When does Artemis III launch?

NET Jun 2027 (placeholder date)

NET means no earlier than. Until NASA sets a firm date, the month shown is a placeholder and no countdown runs.

Artemis III launch page
TBD

The Artemis missions

  1. Artemis I

    Flew November 2022

    Uncrewed test flight of SLS and Orion around the Moon and back.

  2. Artemis II

    Flew April 2026

    Four astronauts flew around the Moon and back in Orion, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo. It did not land.

  3. Artemis III

    NASA target: 2027

    Crewed test flight in low Earth orbit, not a Moon landing: Orion docks with test versions of the SpaceX and Blue Origin landers.

  4. Artemis IV

    Planned 2028

    Artemis IV is planned as the first crewed Moon landing of the programme, near the lunar South Pole.

Other upcoming Artemis launches

Past Artemis launches

  • Artemis II

    Wed 1 Apr 2026, 22:35 UTC · Space Launch System (SLS)

    Success

Frequently asked questions

When does Artemis III launch?
NASA is targeting 2027. There is no firm launch date yet, so any month you see is a placeholder that can change. This page updates automatically when the date moves.
Does Artemis III land on the Moon?
No. Artemis III is a crewed test flight in low Earth orbit. The crew tests docking with commercial lander test articles, and the first crewed landing is planned for Artemis IV in 2028.
What did Artemis II do?
Artemis II flew four astronauts around the Moon and back in April 2026, the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17. It did not land.
Which rocket launches Artemis?
NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) launches the Orion spacecraft from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Sources

Space programmes and missionsNext Starship launchFull rocket launch schedule