Major NASA Artemis Program Announcement Today

 Hey. Space Placers!

Artemis II Crew & Stack

Greg Redfern

During a live and telephonic press conference today at Kennedy Space Center, NASA Administrator Jarred Issacman made a major announcement https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/  about the future of the Artemis Program https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis/ .

He announced that NASA and its industry partners “need to launch more often to get proficient” as once very three years is not going to “work on the muscle memory” needed to sustain the Artemis Program. “The SLS (Space Launch System https://www.nasa.gov/reference/space-launch-system/ ) is an impressive vehicle but we need standardization of the fleet. Each SLS can’t be a work of art.”

He intoned the NASA history of the 1960’s when the Mercury https://www.nasa.gov/project-mercury/ , Gemini https://www.nasa.gov/gemini/   and Apollo https://www.nasa.gov/the-apollo-program/    programs worked towards the goal of landing astronauts on the moon. “The launch rate at that time was every three months.” We need to rebuild the NASA civilian workforce. Contractors are currently 75 percent of our workforce and we need to build a core capability.”

Artemis II https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/  will launch on its 10-day lunar flyby mission without any changes sometime this spring when SLS repairs  https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/02/26/teams-begin-artemis-ii-repairs-in-vehicle-assembly-building/   are completed and all systems are GO for a launch. When feasible NASA will announce a launch date with an eye towards April if at all possible.

Artemis III will no longer be an attempted crew landing on the moon. Instead, slated for launch in 2027 it will carry out extensive flight maneuvers in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with one or both of the lunar human landing system (HLS) vehicles being built by SpaceX   https://www.spacex.com/humanspaceflight/moon   and Blue Origin https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon  . If the new Extravehicular Activity (xEVA) suits are completed in time, the Artemis III crew would also test them. 

SpaceX continues to develop its Starship and Blue Origin is currently testing its lunar lander at NASA Houston’s test chamber.

Artemis IV and V are slated to attempt landing astronauts on the moon in late 2028.

Administrator Issacman also commented that, “To build a moon base you need rovers, communications, navigation, power and more. Competition (from China primarily) is good motivation for our work force. This is a common sense approach to meet the Presidential mandate - every three years to launch is not the way to do it. Trying to get back to NASA’s 1960’s launch rate - this is about NASA - we own it.  Getting crew, cargo, in an affordable and repetitive manner will get us to Artemis 50 and beyond.”

He also emphasized that industry and congressional stakeholders were briefed on this bold new plan and all agreed it was necessary. Also, NASA’s current budget can support this new path forward as well as the hardware currently available and in production.

I grew up with the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs and I have to say that today’s bold move is precisely what NASA needed if it is going to return to the moon and stay this time. If NASA gets what it needs from Congress, industry and the American people in the way of funding, production and public support, the moon and beyond is possible. 

Unfortunately NASA’s history has seen the derailment of Apollo missions 18, 19 and 20 due to political, budgetary and public lack of continued interest. The sad thing is the hardware for these missions was built and paid for. They are now museum artifacts.

It is in our best interest as a species to continue our quest for the moon and beyond as ultimately it contributes to the betterment and survival of humanity, and yes, our planet. The moon is the “Eighth Continent” https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267198961_The_Eighth_Continent_A_Vision_for_Exploration_of_the_Moon_and_Beyond   and it is beckoning us to return and stay.

Let’s GO!!!!!

Sky Guy in VA