Artemis program

The Artemis program is a Moon exploration program led by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), aimed at returning humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo program and building a permanent lunar base. It was formally established via Space Policy Directive-1 in 2017 by President Donald Trump. As of 2026, it has flown two successful missions, Artemis I and Artemis II, with three more planned through the end of 2028. Among the principal elements of the Artemis program are Space Shuttle–derived hardware, such as the Space Launch System's (SLS) core stage, its RS-25 engines, and solid rocket boosters, as well as systems originating from the canceled Constellation program, including the Orion spacecraft (paired with the European Service Module) and booster upgrades initially developed for Ares V. Other elements, such as the Human Landing System (HLS), are in development by private spaceflight companies under contract. International collaborations are bound by the Artemis Accords. The uncrewed Artemis I mission sent an Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit in 2022. Artemis II sent four astronauts on a lunar flyby in 2026, becoming the only crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit not part of the Apollo program. Artemis III, scheduled for late 2027, is planned to test an HLS lunar lander in Earth orbit. Artemis IV, targeted for 2028, is planned to be the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo. Beginning with Artemis V, scheduled for no earlier than late 2028, NASA intends yearly lunar landings to develop a permanent lunar base, as a step toward human missions to Mars.