Under Artemis III, Nasa will send four astronauts back to the surface of the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, for reasons such as scientific discovery, as well as economic benefit.
Artemis III will build on the foundation of Artemis II—the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft, in which four astronauts will complete a 10-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, essentially acting as a trial run for Artemis III.
The Artemis program is NASA’s long-term plan to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. Unlike the Apollo missions, Artemis aims to create a sustainable presence on the Moon, meaning astronauts will not only visit, but conduct long-term research and testing. These missions will help scientists better understand the Moon’s environment, resources, and potential for supporting human life.
Before Artemis III, Artemis I and Artemis II serve as critical steps. Artemis I was an uncrewed mission that tested NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft. This mission sent Orion beyond the Moon and safely returned it to Earth, proving the spacecraft could survive deep-space travel. Artemis II will build on that success by carrying four astronauts on a journey around the Moon, allowing NASA to evaluate how well Orion performs with a human crew onboard. This mission will test vital systems such as life support navigation, and communication before astronauts attempt a lunar landing.
Artemis III will be the most ambitious mission yet. During this mission, astronauts will travel aboard Orion to lunar orbit, where they will transfer to a human landing system designed to take them down to the Moon’s surface. Two astronauts will descend to the Moon while the remaining two stay in orbit. The landing will take place near the Moon’s South Pole. An area of great scientific interest due to the presence of permanently shadowed regions that may contain water ice. This water could potentially be used for drinking, producing oxygen, and creating rocket fuel, making future long-term missions more possible.
UPDATE: As of Feb. 27 2026, the information above is no longer correct, as NASA has updated what the Artemis III mission will consist of. Much of what was planned to happen in Artemis III will happen in Artemis VI, such as landing on the moon for the first time in over 50 years, but many dates are likely to change. Artemis III will now be a low Earth orbit test mission set for mid-2027, acting as a test for much of the technology that will be used in Artemis VI.
Links Used:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-i/
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iii/
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis/
https://www.nasa.gov/reference/human-landing-systems/
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Orion/Artemis_III
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/landing-pages/artemis-ii/
