NASA’s 2026 presentation plans Artemis IV as the first crewed lunar landing since 1972, targeting early 2028. It leaves the lander choice undecided in that presentation, while placing a second crewed landing, Artemis V, in late 2028.
When NASA plans the next crewed lunar landing
NASA Human Landing System program manager Steve Creech presented the schedule at the International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, held October 5–9, 2026. The presentation places Artemis IV first in the planned landing sequence, followed by Artemis V later that year.
NASA’s plan assigns Artemis IV the first crewed lunar landing since 1972. It places Artemis V, the second planned crewed landing, in late 2028.
What Artemis III will test
Before those planned landings, NASA schedules Artemis III for 2027 as an Earth-orbit test of Orion with both landers. Orion is the crew spacecraft; the Human Landing System, or HLS, is the lander system intended to carry astronauts between Orion and the lunar surface. Artemis III’s planned role is to test Orion with the landers in orbit, including rendezvous and docking, rather than to land on the Moon.
For more on that orbital rehearsal, read NeoTeo’s earlier coverage of Artemis III.
The two landers NASA describes
NASA’s presentation names SpaceX’s Starship HLS and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon HLS as the two candidates, but leaves the Artemis IV selection as “TBD.” Their described designs differ in height, propulsion, launch arrangement and how astronauts would reach the surface.
| Design detail | SpaceX Starship HLS | Blue Origin Blue Moon HLS |
| Height | 52 m | 16 m |
| Engines and propellants | Six Raptor engines using liquid methane and liquid oxygen | Three BE-7 engines using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen |
| Launch arrangement | The lander is the launch vehicle’s second stage | The lander is carried in a payload fairing |
| Crew access to the surface | Elevator | Ladder |
These are the candidate configurations described in NASA’s presentation. The table’s engineering details do not indicate which vehicle NASA will use for Artemis IV.
Other HLS milestones in NASA’s plan
NASA’s presentation also lists development and demonstration milestones for the two providers. For SpaceX, it includes Starship version-three flight testing, a long-duration orbital test and a large-scale test of cryogenic propellant transfer. For Blue Origin, it lists a Blue Moon MK1 lunar landing. The presentation also includes uncrewed lunar landing demonstrations by both providers.
