Common Questions

Why is the Artemis III Moon landing delayed?: NASA's OIG report IG-26-004 found SpaceX's Starship HLS approximately two years behind schedule. NASA redesigned Artemis III as a lunar orbit demonstration and deferred the landing.Source: NASA OIG IG-26-004
What is Starship HLS?: A modified SpaceX Starship vehicle selected in 2021 to land NASA astronauts on the Moon for Artemis III.
Does NASA have a backup if Starship HLS keeps slipping?: No backup lander is under contract. The Artemis architecture relies solely on Starship HLS for the lunar surface.Source: NASA OIG
How does Starship HLS get to the Moon?: It requires orbital propellant transfer in Earth orbit before trans-lunar injection, a procedure SpaceX was still developing as of early 2026.

Background

Starship HLS is the SpaceX-built Human Landing System selected by NASA in April 2021 to carry Artemis III astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface. NASA's Office of Inspector General report IG-26-004 found the system to be approximately two years behind schedule relative to the original Artemis III landing target. Following the schedule slip, NASA's Artemis III mission was redesigned around a lunar orbit demonstration rather than a landing, with the surface landing deferred to a later mission. A LEO lander demonstration has been added to the manifest to retire risk before the lunar surface attempt.

Starship HLS is a derivative of SpaceX's full-stack Starship vehicle, modified for lunar landing with a crew elevator and adapted propulsion for the airless lunar environment. The architecture requires orbital propellant transfer in Earth orbit before trans-lunar injection — a procedure SpaceX was still developing and testing as of early 2026. NASA's contract is fixed-price.

The delay carries significant programmatic weight: the Artemis architecture was designed around a single commercial lander. No backup lander is under contract. If Starship HLS further slips, there is no alternative PATH to the lunar surface under the current programme plan. The FY2027 NASA budget protects Artemis funding while cutting Science, suggesting the administration has chosen to absorb the HLS delay rather than contract alternatives.

How the World Sees Them

Airbus Defence and Space

perfectly to plan

Daniel Neuenschwander / European Space Agency

The European Service Module injected so precisely Artemis II towards the Moon that two planned trajectory burns were not necessary.

NASA / Jared Isaacman

We are going to fine-tooth comb every single, probably every atom on this heat shield.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman

land twice in 2028

ESA

The European Service Module put on a powerful demonstration of Europe's capability to deliver critical elements for ambitious international exploration missions

NASA

we are gonna get back into doing this with frequency, sending missions to the moon until we land on it in 2028 and start building our base

Canadian Space Agency

Collaboration needs to be the ultimate goal for humanity.