NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, that the agency is adopting an approach modeled after the Apollo program’s intensity to return astronauts to the lunar surface and establish a moon base. The agency remains on track to launch Artemis III next summer, a two-week mission confined to Earth orbit to test docking procedures with lunar landers. The first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo era, designated Artemis IV, is currently scheduled for 2028.
Isaacman stated that the agency is adopting the playbook of the Apollo program between 1968 and 1972. To meet deadlines, NASA is increasing its workforce and working with private companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin to reduce bureaucratic inertia and speed up hardware development.
Next summer’s Artemis III mission will involve three NASA astronauts and one Italian astronaut launching in the Orion capsule to dock with two different landers. The capsule will dock with Blue Origin’s Blue Ghost lander at an altitude of 270 miles, followed by SpaceX’s Starship lander in a slightly lower orbit. NASA officials indicated they will wait as long as possible before selecting which company’s lander will be used for the Artemis IV lunar landing.
Astronauts will notice immediate changes in equipment. Those selected for the first lunar landings will wear "sortie suits"—lighter, less complex spacesuits designed to reduce risk during initial excursions. These suits will undergo testing on the International Space Station next year. Isaacman noted that the race to return humans to the moon against China has become closer due to slow going in past years.
The successful execution of these missions will set a precedent for how NASA integrates private commercial landers into exploration. The next critical milestone occurs by the end of 2026 with the launch of the robotic rover to the lunar south pole. Following the Earth-orbit docking tests next summer, the agency will move toward the 2028 target for the crewed landing. Axiom Space continues to develop a suit for later, longer-duration lunar stays.