The Artemis lunar landers are two commercial spacecraft that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) bought to carry astronauts down to the Moon, because the Orion capsule cannot land. NASA calls them human landing systems (HLS). SpaceX builds Starship HLS, which NASA names for Artemis III and Artemis IV. Blue Origin builds Blue Moon, which NASA names for Artemis V.
Both landers sit on firm-fixed-price contracts: $2.89 billion for SpaceX, awarded in April 2021, and $3.4 billion for Blue Origin, awarded in May 2023. A March 10, 2026 audit by NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that both companies have faced schedule delays. NASA’s February 2026 architecture update, covered in the Artemis program explainer, now targets the first landing on Artemis IV in 2028.
The Two Artemis Landers at a Glance
NASA has two Artemis lunar landers under contract: SpaceX’s Starship HLS for Artemis III and IV, and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon for Artemis V. Both are firm-fixed-price contracts, and NASA’s inspector general says both have faced schedule delays.
Both providers also fly test articles on the Artemis III docking rehearsal in low Earth orbit, covered in Artemis III explained.
The table lists what NASA and the OIG publish about each lander.
| Criterion | Starship HLS | Blue Moon |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | SpaceX | Blue Origin |
| Contract award | April 2021 | May 2023 |
| Base contract value | $2.89 billion, firm-fixed-price | $3.4 billion, firm-fixed-price |
| Missions named on NASA’s HLS page | Artemis III and Artemis IV | Artemis V |
| Rocket that sends it to the Moon | Not stated on NASA’s HLS page; the site’s Artemis explainer reports it needs propellant transfer between two Starships in orbit | New Glenn |
| Crew transfer point | Orion in lunar orbit (Artemis III plan on NASA’s HLS page); Gateway (Artemis IV) | Same requirements as Starship HLS for Artemis IV |
| Contract cost growth (OIG, March 2026) | About 6 percent | Less than 1 percent |
One row needs an update. NASA’s February 27, 2026 architecture update turned Artemis III into a 2027 test in low Earth orbit (LEO), so the first planned landing is now Artemis IV in 2028. The schedule section below explains that change.
What a Human Landing System Does
A human landing system carries astronauts the last leg from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface, because Orion cannot land. A separate lander has to meet Orion and bring the crew down.
NASA’s HLS page describes the original Artemis III plan in three steps:
- Starship HLS “will be launched uncrewed to lunar orbit to wait for the crew.”
- The lander “will dock directly with Orion in lunar orbit.”
- A crew of two transfers from Orion to the lander, which then descends to the surface.
The lander goes up first and sits empty in lunar orbit, so it must be in place before the crew arrives in Orion. Two astronauts ride down in that plan. NASA’s 2022 Option B work asks for a Starship HLS that accommodates four crew members.
Starship HLS on Artemis III and IV
Starship HLS is the SpaceX lander that NASA selected in April 2021 under a $2.89 billion firm-fixed-price contract. NASA’s HLS page names it for both Artemis III and Artemis IV. The Starship explainer covers Starship.
Under the original contract, SpaceX is to fly an uncrewed demonstration mission to the Moon before the first crewed landing. NASA’s 2022 release worded that as “prior to Artemis III.” Artemis III has since become a low Earth orbit test, so the 2022 wording predates the current plan.
Before Starship HLS can leave for the Moon, it needs propellant transfer between two Starships in orbit. The site’s Artemis program explainer reports that this transfer has no flown precedent at this scale. The orbital refueling explainer covers how in-orbit propellant transfer works.
Option B and the Gateway Version of Starship HLS
Option B is a contract modification of about $1.15 billion that NASA announced on November 15, 2022. It pays SpaceX to develop Starship HLS further in three ways:
- Dock with Gateway for crew transfer.
- Accommodate four crew members, up from the two in the Artemis III plan.
- Deliver more mass to the lunar surface.
NASA’s HLS page ties Gateway docking and landing more mass to Artemis IV. Adding the two published figures gives $2.89 billion plus $1.15 billion, or $4.04 billion, across the base contract and Option B. That sum is arithmetic on NASA’s numbers. NASA’s pages do not present it as a single contract total.
Blue Moon and New Glenn for Artemis V
Blue Moon is Blue Origin’s human landing system, and NASA’s HLS page names it for Artemis V. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket will send Blue Moon to the Moon. The New Glenn explainer covers that rocket, and Starship vs New Glenn compares the two launch systems.
NASA chose to pursue two parallel lander paths. NASA opened the second solicitation to other US companies, and Blue Origin won it in May 2023 with a $3.4 billion award.
Blue Moon must meet the same requirements as the Starship HLS for Artemis IV. NASA lists two capabilities for that version: docking with Gateway for crew transfer and landing more mass on the surface.
Where the Artemis Lander Schedule Stands
NASA’s February 27, 2026 architecture update scheduled Artemis III for 2027 as a low Earth orbit test of systems and operations. Artemis III no longer includes a landing. NASA now targets an Artemis IV landing in 2028 and at least one surface landing every year after that.
On Artemis III, NASA says it will endeavor to include four activities:
- Rendezvous and docking with one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
- Checkout of life support while docked.
- Checkout of communications and propulsion while docked.
- Tests of new xEVA (exploration extravehicular activity) suits.
The Artemis IV explainer covers the 2028 landing mission in detail.
The OIG’s March 2026 audit says NASA is working with both providers to speed development toward a 2028 lunar landing.
Cost and Risk in the Inspector General Audit
NASA’s Office of Inspector General reported on March 10, 2026 that NASA had obligated nearly $7 billion to lander development since the HLS Program began in 2019. The OIG projects NASA will spend over $18 billion through fiscal year 2030.
Cost growth differs between the two contracts. The OIG found SpaceX’s total contract costs rose about 6 percent and Blue Origin’s rose less than 1 percent. The Artemis program cost explainer covers these figures.
The OIG summary points to three problems:
- Schedule and engineering: both providers “have faced schedule delays, technical difficulties, and integration challenges.”
- Testing and safety analysis: gaps remain in NASA’s testing posture and its crew survival analyses.
- Rescue: NASA “knows it would not have the capability to rescue stranded astronauts from space or the lunar surface.”
Details NASA Does Not Publish
NASA’s HLS page leaves out several physical facts about both landers. It gives no height for Starship HLS or Blue Moon and does not name the propellants either lander uses.
The page also does not state:
- How many refuelling flights Starship HLS needs before it leaves Earth orbit.
- The crew capacity of Blue Moon. The published crew figures are for Starship HLS: two in the Artemis III plan and four under Option B.
- Landing sites for either lander.
Treat any specific figure on these points as coming from a source other than NASA’s HLS page. For the vehicles behind the landers, Starship vs SLS and Blue Origin vs SpaceX compare the rockets and the two companies.
Blue Moon Compared with Starship HLS
Starship HLS is named for earlier Artemis missions, and Blue Moon carries the larger base contract with lower reported cost growth. The table sets out the choices NASA made for each lander.
| Question | Starship HLS | Blue Moon |
|---|---|---|
| First Artemis mission named on NASA’s HLS page | Artemis III | Artemis V |
| First planned landing under the 2026 update | Artemis IV, 2028 | Blue Moon is named for Artemis V on NASA’s HLS page |
| Base contract value | $2.89 billion | $3.4 billion |
| Extra paid development in NASA sources used here | Option B, about $1.15 billion | None found |
| Reported cost growth (OIG) | About 6 percent | Less than 1 percent |
| Published pre-departure step | Propellant transfer between two Starships in orbit | Launch by New Glenn |
Follow Starship HLS if your interest is the 2028 Artemis IV landing, the Gateway docking work and the four-crew configuration. Follow Blue Moon if your interest is Artemis V and the second lander NASA bought as a parallel path. To track Starship HLS and Blue Moon from here, read the Artemis IV explainer for the 2028 landing plan, then the Artemis program cost explainer for the full OIG figures.