Artemis III facts for kids
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Assembly of the European Service Module for the planned mission
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| Names | Exploration Mission-3 (EM-3) |
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| Mission type | Crewed demonstration flight |
| Operator | NASA |
| Mission duration | ≈2 weeks (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft |
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| Manufacturer |
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| Crew | |
| Crew size | 4 |
| Members | |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | Late 2027 (planned) |
| Rocket | Space Launch System |
| Launch site | Kennedy, LC-39B |
| End of mission | |
| Landing site | Pacific Ocean (planned) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Altitude | ≈230 nmi (430 km; 260 mi) |
| Inclination | 33° |
.png) Mission wordmark  Official crew portrait, from left to right: Douglas, Parmitano, Bresnik, and Rubio Artemis program
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Artemis III is an important space mission led by NASA. It is part of the larger Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the Moon. This mission, planned for late 2027, is a special practice flight. It will stay close to Earth, orbiting our planet, instead of traveling to the Moon.
Four astronauts will fly into space aboard the Orion spacecraft. A powerful Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will launch them from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main goal of Artemis III is to test how Orion can connect with other spacecraft. These include test versions of future Human Landing System vehicles made by Blue Origin and SpaceX. NASA sees Artemis III as a way to reduce risks and prepare for Artemis IV. Artemis IV is planned to be the first mission to land astronauts on the Moon in the Artemis program.
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Exploring Space: The Artemis III Mission Plan
NASA has described Artemis III as one of its most complex human space missions ever. It involves three separate rocket launches. These launches use some of the most powerful rockets in the world. The mission will check how well Orion's systems work. It will also test its engines, communication tools, and how it operates for future Moon trips. A key part is practicing how different spacecraft work together. This includes vehicles from NASA and private companies.
The mission starts with the launch of a test vehicle from Blue Origin. This vehicle can stay in orbit for up to 90 days. Next, the four astronauts will launch aboard the Orion spacecraft. Their SLS rocket will lift off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B. Since this mission stays in low Earth orbit and does not go to the Moon, the SLS rocket will not use its usual upper stage. Instead, it will have a 'spacer.' This spacer has the same size and shape as the upper stage but does not have engines.
After Orion separates from the rocket, its European Service Module will guide it into a circular orbit. This orbit will be about 230 nautical miles (about 426 kilometers) above Earth.
Orion will then meet and connect with the Blue Origin test vehicle. This is called 'rendezvous and docking.' The crew will check the Blue Origin vehicle's systems. They will also test how it connects with the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit. Orion will stay connected for about two days. During this time, Orion will control the movement and position of both spacecraft.
While Orion is docked, a third launch will send a SpaceX Starship test vehicle into orbit. After leaving the Blue Origin vehicle, Orion will then meet and dock with Starship. This tests how well the docking operations work. The Starship test vehicle will have a NASA Docking System but no crew cabin. So, the astronauts will stay inside Orion during this test. Orion will remain docked to Starship for about one day.
About two weeks after its launch, Orion will return to Earth. It will use an improved heat shield to safely re-enter our planet's atmosphere. The spacecraft will then splash down in the Pacific Ocean, near San Diego. The U.S. Navy will then recover the spacecraft and its crew.
Meet the Artemis III Astronauts
NASA announced the astronauts for Artemis III on June 9, 2026. The announcement happened at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The main crew members are:
- Commander: Randy Bresnik (from NASA, his third spaceflight)
- Pilot: Luca Parmitano (from the ESA, his third spaceflight)
- Mission specialist: Frank Rubio (from NASA, his second spaceflight)
- Mission specialist: Andre Douglas (from NASA, his first spaceflight)
Bob Hines was also named as a backup crew member. The astronauts chosen for this mission were selected because they are the best fit to achieve the mission's goals.
The Amazing Spacecraft of Artemis III
The Powerful Space Launch System Rocket
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The Space Launch System (SLS) is a very powerful rocket. It is designed to send the Orion spacecraft into orbit. For this mission, the main part of the rocket, called the core stage, uses four special engines. These RS-25 engines (E2048, E2052, E2054, and E2057) have flown on Space Shuttle missions before. They were repaired and made ready for this new flight.
The top section of the core stage was built by Boeing. This part includes tanks for liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. It was finished in April 2026 at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. It then traveled to the Kennedy Space Center on the Pegasus barge on April 28. After it arrived, the engine section, with its RS-25 engines, was installed. These refurbished engines were delivered from Stennis Space Center in Mississippi by July 2026.
The mobile launch tower was moved back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center after the Artemis II mission. It was prepared for the next steps of assembling the rocket.
In May 2026, NASA announced that this mission would not use the agency's last Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS). This decision saves the ICPS for use on Artemis IV. Instead, NASA is using a 'spacer.' This spacer has the same size as an upper stage but no engines. NASA said that the design and building of this spacer were already happening at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
The parts for the solid rocket boosters started arriving by train in June 2026. They are stored at the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility. Later, they will be moved to the VAB for assembly.
The Orion Crew Capsule
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The Orion spacecraft is the vehicle that carries the astronauts. It is used for all Artemis missions. Orion will take the crew from Earth to orbit. It will then connect with the Human Landing System (HLS) test vehicles. Finally, it will bring the crew safely back to Earth.
The European Service Module (ESM) for Artemis III, called ESM-3, was delivered to NASA in September 2024. It came from the Airbus factory in Bremen, Germany.
Lockheed Martin built the spacecraft's main body, called the pressure vessel, at the Michoud Assembly Facility. It was sent to the Kennedy Space Center in August 2021 for its final assembly. As of early 2026, the Artemis III Orion spacecraft was still being built. It was expected to be ready by January 2028. However, with the new plan for Artemis III to launch in late 2027, NASA and Lockheed Martin are working to build Orion faster.
Human Landing System Test Vehicles
Artemis III will test two different spacecraft in Earth orbit. These are a "lander test vehicle" from Blue Origin and a Starship test article from SpaceX. These vehicles are based on the Human Landing System (HLS) designs that both companies are creating. NASA calls them "pathfinders" because they are test versions. They do not have all the systems needed for a real Moon landing.
The Blue Origin vehicle is thought to be a version of their Blue Moon Mark 1 spacecraft that can carry a crew. It is expected to have a working life-support system. This will allow the Artemis III crew to go inside and test its systems. Orion will still be in charge of controlling and moving both spacecraft when they are connected.
The SpaceX Starship test vehicle will have a docking system. However, it will not have a working life-support system. This means the crew will stay inside Orion and not enter the Starship. As of April 2026, both spacecraft were still being developed. They had not yet finished NASA's special safety checks needed for crewed missions.
How Artemis III Plans Changed
Artemis III was first planned to be the very first mission to land astronauts on the Moon for the Artemis program. It would have been the first time humans landed on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. In those early plans, two astronauts would have landed near the lunar south pole. The other crew members would have stayed in orbit around the Moon in Orion.
The mission was originally called Exploration Mission-3 (EM-3). It was meant to help build the Lunar Gateway station in orbit around the Moon. When the Artemis program was announced in 2019, the mission was renamed Artemis III. Its new goal was to be the program's first crewed Moon landing.
Early ideas involved Orion meeting a Human Landing System in lunar orbit. The Lunar Gateway was initially planned to help with this. By 2020, NASA decided to remove the Gateway from the mission. Instead, Orion would connect directly with the lunar lander.
As part of planning for the Moon landing, NASA chose three science tools for astronauts to use on the lunar surface in 2024. They also picked possible landing spots near the Moon's south pole.
In August 2025, NASA started preparing the Artemis III Space Launch System parts at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.
On February 27, 2026, NASA announced a new plan for the Artemis missions. Artemis III was changed to be a crewed test mission in low Earth orbit. Under this new plan, the mission will test Orion's systems. It will also practice working with the companies building lunar landers. This prepares for later missions to the Moon. NASA has said that Artemis IV, planned for early 2028, is now expected to be the program's first mission to land astronauts on the Moon.
After thinking about a high Earth orbit (HEO) mission, planners chose a low Earth orbit (LEO) mission. This orbit is about 230 nautical miles (about 426 kilometers) high. This choice allowed NASA to save an Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage for Artemis IV. NASA decided this benefit was more important than the advantages of a HEO mission. A HEO mission would have been more like conditions near the Moon. It would have tested Orion's systems more strictly.
Learn More About Space Exploration
- List of Artemis missions
- List of missions to the Moon
- New Space Race
