Artemis III delayed to late 2027 as in-orbit lander tests loom

NASA says Artemis III won’t fly to the Moon yet and could launch no earlier than late 2027, with SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon expected to be ready for an in-orbit rendezvous and potential docking with an Orion crew in Earth orbit; the plan emphasizes testing lander interoperability in a high Earth orbit rather than direct lunar insertion, while NASA uses a new Centaur V upper stage with the SLS and works through mission details before a 2028 lunar landing attempt.