Artemis 4, written by NASA as Artemis IV, is the mission the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) targets for the first crewed Artemis Moon landing, in 2028. After launch, the crew transfers from the Orion spacecraft to a commercial lander to reach the lunar surface. NASA’s Artemis page names SpaceX’s Starship HLS as the lander for both Artemis III and Artemis IV.
Artemis IV carries the landing because NASA redesignated Artemis III in February 2026 as a crewed test in low Earth orbit, planned for 2027. Artemis II had already flown in April 2026, sending four astronauts around the Moon on the first crewed Orion flight. The sequence ahead is a docking test in Earth orbit first, then the landing attempt on Artemis IV.
What Artemis IV Is
Artemis IV is the NASA mission that targets the first Artemis lunar landing, with 2028 as the target year. NASA’s Artemis page puts it in one line: “NASA continues to target the first Artemis lunar landing for 2028.” Artemis IV is the flight that carries that attempt.
The mission joins three vehicles. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket launches the crew aboard Orion. After launch, the crew transfers from Orion to a commercial human landing system (HLS), and the lander takes them to the lunar surface.
Artemis IV also changes the rocket. NASA’s page says this mission begins standardizing the SLS configuration, and Artemis V then flies the standardized SLS. For how all the Artemis flights fit together, see Artemis program explained, and for the budget side, see Artemis program cost explained.
Why the First Landing Moved from Artemis III
The first Artemis landing moved to Artemis IV because NASA redesignated Artemis III in February 2026 as a demonstration mission in low Earth orbit. Artemis III keeps a crew aboard Orion, launched on SLS. The crew stays in Earth orbit and does not go to the Moon.
Artemis III has two jobs on NASA’s page:
- Evaluate one or both commercial human landing systems, from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
- Test rendezvous and docking between Orion and those landers with a crew aboard.
NASA lists Artemis III as planned for 2027. Press coverage describes the date as late 2027 at the earliest.
The change came under NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. At a House appropriations hearing, he said both SpaceX and Blue Origin could support a late-2027 docking test ahead of a 2028 landing attempt. That testimony sets the order: the Orion docking test on Artemis III comes before the Artemis IV landing.
The Artemis IV crew has to move from Orion into a commercial lander, and Artemis III is the flight that tests Orion docking with those landers first.
Artemis II Set the Stage
Artemis II launched in April 2026 on a nearly 10-day flight around the Moon, the first crewed flight of Orion. The crew was Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA, with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Their flight set the record for the greatest distance humans have traveled in space.
Vehicles Behind the Landing Mission
Artemis IV uses three vehicles, each with a separate job in getting a crew to the lunar surface.
- SLS (launch vehicle). SLS lifts Orion and the crew off Earth. Artemis IV is the mission where NASA begins standardizing the SLS configuration. The rocket’s design and history are covered in SLS rocket explained.
- Orion (crew vehicle). Orion carries the astronauts after launch. It flew its first crew on Artemis II in April 2026. On Artemis IV, the crew leaves Orion and moves into the lander.
- Commercial human landing system. The lander takes the crew down to the Moon. Artemis III evaluates one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA’s Artemis page names SpaceX’s Starship HLS for Artemis III and IV.
NASA’s Artemis page does not name Blue Origin’s lander for Artemis IV. Background on the SpaceX vehicle family is on our page about what Starship is.
Surface hardware beyond the lander has its own page: NASA lunar terrain vehicle explained. Whether that vehicle flies on Artemis IV is unpublished; check NASA’s Artemis page.
Mission Sequence from Launch to Return
The Artemis IV mission runs in four broad steps, based on what NASA’s Artemis page describes.
- Launch. SLS launches Orion with the crew aboard.
- Transfer. The crew moves from Orion into the commercial lander, which NASA’s page names as Starship HLS.
- Descent. The lander carries the crew to the lunar surface.
- Return. The crew leaves the surface and the mission ends. NASA’s Artemis page does not describe this leg in detail.
NASA’s Artemis page does not give a time on the surface, a total mission length, a landing site, or a crew size. Follow the NASA Artemis page for those details as NASA publishes them.
SLS Standardization and Upper Stage Changes
Artemis IV is the mission where NASA begins standardizing the SLS rocket configuration, according to NASA’s Artemis page. Artemis V is then described as a lunar surface mission using the standardized SLS. NASA’s Artemis page does not spell out which configuration becomes the standard.
Reporting on the February 2026 plan describes the scrapping of the Boeing-developed Exploration Upper Stage. How that decision relates to the standardization step is unpublished. Treat them as two separate reported changes until NASA states how they relate.
The status of the Gateway lunar station is reported inconsistently. Gateway’s role in Artemis IV is unconfirmed, so check the NASA Artemis page for the current position before relying on any report about it.
Artemis V and the Yearly Cadence
Artemis V is anticipated for 2028, as a lunar surface mission using the standardized SLS. That places two surface missions in the same target year: Artemis IV and Artemis V. After that, NASA anticipates one mission per year.
Artemis IV starts standardizing SLS, and Artemis V then flies the standardized SLS. NASA’s Artemis page does not name a lander or a crew for Artemis V.
Artemis Missions II Through V Compared
| Mission | Date | Destination | Landers involved | Crew | Rocket notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis II | Launched April 2026 | Around the Moon, nearly 10 days | None in mission description | Wiseman, Glover, Koch (NASA); Hansen (CSA) | First crewed Orion flight |
| Artemis III | Planned 2027 (press: late 2027 at the earliest) | Low Earth orbit | One or both of SpaceX and Blue Origin, for docking tests | Not named on NASA’s Artemis page | Orion on SLS |
| Artemis IV | Targeted 2028 | Lunar surface | Starship HLS named on NASA’s page | Not named on NASA’s Artemis page | Begins SLS standardization |
| Artemis V | Anticipated 2028 | Lunar surface | Not named on NASA’s Artemis page | Not named on NASA’s Artemis page | Uses standardized SLS |
Read the table by destination first. Artemis II proved a crewed Orion flight around the Moon. Artemis III tests the Orion-to-lander docking in Earth orbit, and Artemis IV and V are the two surface missions targeted for 2028.
Dates and Details That Could Change
Every date after Artemis II in this article is a target. NASA lists Artemis III for 2027, while press coverage describes late 2027 at the earliest. NASA’s Artemis IV line uses the word “target” for 2028.
Watch three items in this order:
- The Artemis III date. Isaacman described the docking test as coming ahead of the 2028 landing attempt.
- The lander choice. NASA’s page names Starship HLS for Artemis III and IV, while Artemis III may evaluate one or both landers.
- Gateway and the upper stage. Gateway’s status is unconfirmed, and the Exploration Upper Stage change comes from reporting on the February 2026 plan.
NASA’s Artemis page lists no Artemis IV crew as of this update. To track the Artemis 4 landing date, bookmark NASA’s Artemis page and compare its next update against the 2028 target listed here.