NASA's Artemis Aims to Revive the Spirit of Apollo Moonshots

The new Artemis program builds on the legacy of the Apollo missions, but with a more diverse crew and a focus on sustained lunar exploration.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 5:18pm

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As NASA prepares to launch the Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight to the moon in over 50 years, comparisons between the new Artemis program and the historic Apollo missions are inevitable. While Artemis builds on Apollo's achievements, there are key differences in the approach, timeline, and goals of the two programs.

Why it matters

The Artemis program represents NASA's renewed commitment to lunar exploration, with the ultimate aim of establishing a sustainable human presence on the moon. This new era of lunar exploration will have important scientific, technological, and geopolitical implications, as the U.S. seeks to maintain its leadership in space while competing with emerging space powers like China.

The details

The Artemis program has progressed much more slowly than the rapid eight-year timeline of the Apollo program, which put the first humans on the moon in 1969. Artemis has faced delays and setbacks, including technical issues with the new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. However, the program is now gaining momentum, with the upcoming Artemis II mission serving as a crucial test flight before the first crewed lunar landing, currently targeted for Artemis III in 2028. Unlike the all-white, all-male Apollo crews, the Artemis astronauts will be more representative of modern society, with the inclusion of a woman and a person of color.

  • NASA is targeting the first six days of April 2026 for the Artemis II launch.
  • The Artemis III mission, which will attempt the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo, is currently scheduled for 2028.

The players

NASA

The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the government agency responsible for the Artemis program and the historic Apollo missions.

Christina Koch

A NASA astronaut who is part of the Artemis II crew.

Jeremy Hansen

An astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency, who is also part of the Artemis II crew.

Jared Isaacman

The current administrator of NASA, who has overhauled the Artemis program to emulate the rapid pace of the Apollo missions.

Elon Musk

The founder of SpaceX, which is developing a lunar lander for the Artemis program.

Jeff Bezos

The founder of Blue Origin, which is also developing a lunar lander for the Artemis program.

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What they’re saying

“The Apollo program still just absolutely blows me away.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II astronaut

“If we can contribute a little bit to hope for humanity, that is a huge thing.”

— Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot

What’s next

The Artemis II mission, scheduled for 2026, will be a crucial test flight before the first crewed lunar landing, currently targeted for Artemis III in 2028. NASA is also working to develop a sustainable lunar base, with plans to invest $20 billion over the next seven years.

The takeaway

The Artemis program represents a new era of lunar exploration, building on the legacy of the Apollo missions but with a more diverse crew and a focus on long-term, sustainable presence on the moon. While the program has faced delays, it is now gaining momentum, with the upcoming Artemis II mission serving as a crucial step towards the first crewed lunar landing since the 1970s.