Current Artemis Mission Timeline and Launch Windows
NASA has set Artemis II as the first crewed flight around the Moon, currently targeting no earlier than April 2025 on the Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The mission will send four astronauts in Orion on a lunar flyby and return, testing life support and navigation systems deep in space. The subsequent Artemis III mission aims to land the first woman and next man near the lunar South Pole, with a target no earlier than September 2026 pending hardware readiness. Both missions rely on a fixed cadence of integrated testing, launch readiness reviews, and contractor milestones that shape the overall Artemis schedule. For detailed current planning, see the official NASA Artemis page NASA Artemis Program Overview.
Behind the headline dates, the Artemis schedule reflects a layered set of prerequisite reviews, including the Flight Readiness Review for SLS and Orion, the Exploration Ground Systems readiness milestone, and the Launch Services Program launch commit criteria. Any slip in these reviews, such as unresolved anomalies with the RL10 upper stage engine or heat shield evaluations, can shift the launch window by months. The schedule also aligns with the availability of the Mobile Launcher, the crawler-transporter, and the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy, all of which operate on a shared launch cadence with other rockets. As of the latest public planning updates, NASA maintains a rolling schedule that updates after each integrated test and flight readiness review.
Key Contractors, Hardware, and Budget Context
Boeing builds the core stage of the SLS rocket, while Aerojet Rocketdyne supplies the RS-25 engines, and Lockheed Martin leads the Orion spacecraft development under a cost-plus contract with NASA. The Human Landing System for Artemis III is provided by SpaceX, using a modified Starship variant that will refuel in orbit before descending to the lunar surface, with the initial contract valued at roughly $2.9 billion. Northrop Grumman supplies the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, and Jacobs and other firms support ground operations, integration, and launch services across the Kennedy Space Center complex. For a broader view of the program's financial and contractor structure, see the Forbes breakdown NASA Artemis Program Costs, Contractors, and What to Expect.
The Artemis budget has grown from initial estimates as NASA incorporated design changes, risk-reduction testing, and additional mission requirements into the baseline. Congressional appropriations for the SLS, Orion, and exploration systems have remained a key factor in the pace of development and the stability of the launch schedule. The Office of Management and Budget and NASA's own budget requests outline multi-year funding profiles that link contractor deliveries to specific mission milestones. For official budget documentation, see the NASA Budget page NASA Budget Overview.
Mission Goals, Lunar Infrastructure, and International Partnerships
Artemis II will validate Orion's systems in deep space, including life support, communications, and thermal protection during a roughly ten-day mission profile beyond the Moon and back. Artemis III aims to conduct scientific exploration near the lunar South Pole, using SpaceX's Starship HLS to transfer crew from lunar orbit to the surface and back, with planned stays of approximately one week. Later missions, including Artemis IV and beyond, will focus on building sustainable surface infrastructure, such as the Lunar Gateway and surface habitats, in cooperation with international partners like ESA, JAXA, and CSA. For more on the international framework, see the European Space Agency's Artemis participation page