Artemis III Moon landing canceled; NASA targets 2027 flyby and 2028 landing with Artemis IV
NASA has scrapped Artemis III’s planned Moon landing, moving to a 2027 crewed lunar flyby and scheduling Artemis IV for a lunar landing in 2028. Artemis II is delayed to at least April due to helium-tank issues. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel warns Artemis III remains high risk, highlighting unproven safety of the SpaceX Starship-based Human Landing System and prompting a recompetition and cautious scheduling. Past heat-shield problems on Artemis I add to concerns about feasibility, signaling that the 2027/2028 timelines may be optimistic.