NASA Delays Moon Landing Again, Now Promises Annual Moon Visits Like Netflix
KEY POINTS
- •NASA announced at a press conference on February 27, 2026, that Artemis III will no longer land on the Moon in 2027.
- •Instead, Artemis III will be a test flight, and a second test flight is added in the same year to increase mission cadence.
- •NASA aims for a surface landing starting with Artemis IV in 2028 and promises at least one landing annually thereafter.
On Friday, NASA gleefully announced they’re postponing the coveted Artemis III Moon landing from 2027 to the comfortably distant Artemis IV in 2028, opting for extra test flights, because nothing says progress like practicing forever. Responding to a safety report from their Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel earlier this month, NASA is 'increasing its cadence'—one test flight, now two in 2027, and aiming for 'at least one surface landing every year thereafter,' as if lunar visits are subscription services. NASA's enthusiasm for rigorous rehearsals might make one wonder if the Moon has a waiting room now, complete with awkward small talk and stale air.
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NASA’s new Moon landing strategy: test forever, land never (but hey, annual visits promised!). Space tourism or groundhog day? You decide.
Artemis III’s Moon landing upgraded to deluxe test flight. NASA’s motto: why rush when you can over-glamourize waiting?
2027: Another rehearsal. 2028: Still probably a rehearsal. NASA's Artemis program is the slowest flash mob in history.
Source: Theverge | Published: 2/27/2026 | Author: Stevie Bonifield
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