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NASA Artemis Lunar Mission

NASA's crewed Artemis II mission to orbit the Moon, SpaceX launch partnerships, and the US return to deep-space human exploration

NASA outlines multi‑phase moon base plan with landers, rovers and drones

Illustration accompanying article: NASA outlines multi‑phase moon base plan with landers, rovers and drones
  • NASA has awarded contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to four U.S. companies for landers, rovers and drones that will support the first phase of its lunar base.
  • Blue Origin will supply a pair of landers that will deliver lunar terrain vehicles built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost near the Moon’s south pole.
  • Firefly Aerospace will provide the first drones to operate on the lunar surface as part of the initial hardware rollout.
  • NASA targets the Artemis III crewed landing for mid‑2027 and anticipates the first astronauts to step on the Moon as early as 2028, with the base hardware arriving beforehand.
  • Program executive Carlos Garcia‑Galan says the base will eventually span hundreds of square miles and be marked by “MoonFall” drones to respect other nations’ assets.
  • Administrator Jared Isaacman says the outpost aims to spark a lunar economy, advance scientific research and lay the groundwork for a future Mars mission.
 4 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: NASA Eyes Next Artemis Mission After Successful Moon Flyby

NASA’s new moon rocket moves to the launch pad for Artemis crew flight

2026-01-18

NASA moved its new Space Launch System rocket to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday as it prepares for astronauts’ first lunar fly-around in more than half a century. The agency said the trip could launch as early as February, but it plans to run a fueling test on the pad in early February before confirming a date.

NASA moon rocket rolls to pad ahead of first crewed lunar flyby in 53 years

2026-01-17

NASA's Space Launch System rocket rolled out to its launch pad at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, completing a 4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation for the first crewed lunar flight in more than half a century. A launch could come as early as February, pending a fueling test NASA must complete before announcing an official date. Thousands of space center workers and their families gathered before dawn to watch the rollout, joined by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and all four mission astronauts.

Here's your 2026 guide to the top celestial moments

2026-01-04

The moon and sun will headline next year’s skywatching lineup, from a Jan. 3 supermoon to a Feb. 17 ring-of-fire eclipse in Antarctica and a total solar eclipse Aug. 12 in the Arctic. NASA plans a new lunar flyby mission expected to send the first astronauts to study large areas of the moon’s far side not seen by Apollo, while robotic missions and landers are also targeted for 2026.

Here's your 2026 guide to major moon missions and sky events

2026-01-01

The moon and sun take center stage in 2026, from a lunar far-side mission and new robotic landers to multiple solar and lunar eclipses. NASA’s Reid Wiseman is set to lead a flyby-and-return mission aimed at regions of the lunar far side Apollo astronauts missed, alongside plans for a “Blue Moon” lunar lander and other commercial and international efforts. Elsewhere in the year, skywatchers will also have ring-of-fire and total eclipses to watch, along with a parade of planets and several supermoons.