NASA announces sweeping overhaul of Artemis return to moon, targeting two 2028 landings and a 2027 in-orbit docking flight

The Artemis II mission rocket stands outside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center on February 25, 2026 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

NASA has announced a sweeping overhaul to its Artemis program, saying that the agency's plan to return astronauts to the moon by 2028 would not be achievable without an additional flight in 2027.

The new plan, outlined by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at a Friday (Feb. 27) news conference, includes yearly crewed launches and the scrapping of the Boeing-developed Exploration Upper Stage.