# Artemis 3 will now focus on testing complex rendezvous and docking operations in Earth orbit involving Nasa’s Orion crew capsule and one or both lunar landing systems.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-28 · The Indian Express*

## Key points

- Artemis 3 will now test in-orbit rendezvous and docking with Starship and Blue Moon landers.
- Artemis 4 replaces Artemis 3 as Nasa's first planned crewed landing near the Moon's south pole.
- Nasa has awarded over $1 billion in contracts for lunar rovers, cargo landers, and Moon base infrastructure.
- The planned Moon base could eventually span hundreds of square miles for sustained human habitation.

Under the revised plan, Artemis 3 will now focus on testing complex rendezvous and docking operations in Earth orbit involving Nasa’s Orion crew capsule and one or both lunar landing systems currently under development, SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander. Nasa says the orbital test mission intends to reduce risks ahead of Artemis 4, which is now expected to become the program’s first astronaut landing mission near the Moon’s south pole. Artemis 3 is currently targeted for launch in mid-2027, while Artemis 4 is tentatively scheduled for late 2028 if development milestones remain on track. The mission is expected to become one of Nasa’s most technically demanding human spaceflight operations in decades, requiring complex spacecraft docking procedures, deep-space mission coordination, and long-duration lunar system testing. The crew announcement also comes shortly after Nasa unveiled over $1 billion in new lunar exploration contracts covering rovers, cargo landers, mobility systems, and Moon base infrastructure designed to support future Artemis operations near the lunar south pole. Nasa has said the long-term Moon Base initiative could eventually span hundreds of square miles and serve as humanity’s first sustained outpost on another celestial body.

**Companies:** SpaceX, Blue Origin
**Countries:** United States

[Read the full story on The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/nasa-to-introduce-4-person-artemis-3-crew-for-upcoming-lunar-mission-10712263/)

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