As Artemis II sets off on a successful lunar flight, attention is shifting to the next phase. If this mission symbolizes the resumption of crewed lunar flights for the first time in half a century, the plans that follow are the blueprint showing how the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will actually put people back on the moon, keep them there longer, and ultimately expand to Mars.
NASA announced space exploration plans in late February and March this year. The focus is an additional test mission in 2027, a landing at the lunar south pole in 2028, and then at least one surface mission each year after that.
Accordingly, the nature of Artemis III has changed significantly. In the past, Artemis III was a crewed lunar landing mission, but under this year's plan it has moved closer to an "integrated operations test" in low Earth orbit in 2027. Rather than proceeding directly to a lunar landing after Artemis II, the aim is to reduce risk one more step before moving on to surface missions and long-duration stays.
According to NASA's official page, the mission of Artemis III is rendezvous (spacecraft approach) and docking (spacecraft consolidation) in low Earth orbit. The Orion spacecraft will ride the Space Launch System (SLS) to Earth orbit and test docking and approach operations with a commercial lander from SpaceX or Blue Origin.
Under the current roadmap, the actual lunar surface landing will take place on the Artemis IV mission in early 2028. NASA has set a goal of sending astronauts to the lunar south pole based on a standardized SLS and follow-on systems. The lunar south pole is considered highly likely to harbor water and ice and is regarded as a candidate site for a long-term exploration outpost.
Artemis V is slated for late 2028. After that, surface missions will continue about once a year.
NASA defines Artemis V as the point when lunar base construction begins in earnest. Lunar base construction will proceed in three phases. Phase one is to build, test, and learn from lunar surface infrastructure. Using the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), NASA plans to send rovers, scientific instruments, and technology demonstration equipment to accelerate surface activities.
Next comes the phase of establishing semi-habitable infrastructure and a regular resupply system, and finally the phase of bringing in heavier infrastructure using landers capable of carrying large cargo. Through this, NASA has set a goal of building a permanent lunar base.
This vision is directly connected to NASA's "Moon to Mars" strategy. The judgment is that only by mastering long-duration stays and surface operations on the moon, resource utilization, human-robot collaboration, and safe return systems will crewed exploration of the more distant Mars be possible.
Director General Jared Isaacman of NASA said in January, "Artemis II will be a significant step forward in human spaceflight," adding that it "means progress toward building a permanent base on the moon and sending Americans to Mars."