Artemis III: The Mission That Has to Work Before Humans Can Return to the Moon.

Artemis II has barely left the headlines. On April 1st 2026, four astronauts climbed aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, rode the most powerful rocket ever to carry humans beyond low Earth orbit, and swung around the far side of the Moon. The world watched. Now, before the dust has settled, NASA has outlined its plans for what comes next. Artemis III won’t be landing on the Moon. But what it will do is arguably just as important and if history is any guide, it’s exactly the kind of mission that makes the difference between a Moon landing and a disaster.