SpaceX request leads NASA to confirm 2028 Moon landing via Earth orbit dock
The agency will dock Orion with SpaceX’s Starship in high-Earth orbit, a change driven by engineering constraints that eliminates the need for complex maneuvers around the Moon.
By Carolina Wood ·
NASA finalized the schedule for its next crewed lunar mission on Friday, confirming that astronauts will land on the Moon in 2028. The agency presented a detailed breakdown of the Artemis program architecture during a news conference, marking the first time it openly described the specific changes to the mission plan. These revisions center on how the Orion spacecraft will connect with the lunar landers.
The most substantial change involves SpaceX. Under the new protocol, Orion will dock with the Starship lunar lander in high-Earth orbit. The two vehicles will then depart for the Moon as a combined unit. This approach replaces the previous requirement for Starship to perform a complex docking in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon. SpaceX engineers requested this shift during meetings with NASA in early 2026, citing the high energy demands and operational difficulties of the lunar orbit maneuver. The cancellation of the Lunar Gateway earlier this year removed the structural necessity for the previous orbital path, allowing the agency to adopt the simpler Earth-based docking procedure.
Blue Origin’s approach remains distinct from the SpaceX model. The company’s plan relies on four separate launches of the New Glenn rocket. None of these launches will involve transferring fuel between spacecraft in space. The Blue Moon lander may meet Orion in low-lunar orbit, but the specific docking location remains flexible compared to the fixed high-Earth orbit requirement for Starship.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed confidence in the revised timeline during the announcement. He stated, "This is an achievable path we are on right now," adding that the agency possesses the necessary mandate, resources, and stakeholder support to execute the plan. The leadership team has reviewed every element of the Artemis program to identify ways to assist the lunar lander companies in accelerating their development.
The immediate next step is the Artemis III mission, scheduled for the summer of 2027. This flight serves as a demonstration where Orion will dock with both the Blue Moon and Starship vehicles near Earth. No astronauts will travel to the lunar surface during this test. The actual landing mission is designated as Artemis IV, which is currently on track for 2028. The agency maintains that the schedule remains viable despite the architectural adjustments.
