# Artemis IV — research and T+ mission timeline

Research date: **3 October 2026**. The subject is NASA's Artemis IV crewed lunar landing mission.

This work is a synthesis of publicly available official mission pages, NASA announcements, NASA's pre-mission presentation, and ESA and GAO documents. No numerical precision has been established for flight data that has not yet been released. It does not claim to include every document on the internet or to have accessed confidential operational data.

## 1. Current mission definition

With Artemis IV, NASA aims to carry out the Artemis program's first crewed landing on the lunar surface in **early 2028**. This is a target date, not a set launch day and time. Orion will carry the crew to the vicinity of the Moon; a commercial lander will provide transport to the surface and the return to orbit. The crew will return to Earth aboard Orion. Which provider will fly the lander depends on vehicle readiness. [NASA mission schedule](https://www.nasa.gov/event/artemis-iv/)

The current mission page describes **four astronauts** launching aboard Orion on SLS from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with **two astronauts** landing in the Moon's south polar region and conducting about a week of science work on the surface. The other two will remain in orbit. The current mission page that was reviewed does not name the Artemis IV crew. [NASA Artemis IV](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iv/)

The **preliminary mission draft** that NASA presented to a National Academies meeting in June 2026 assumes a total flight duration of **21 days or less**. The presentation shows a latitude range of 84–90 degrees for the south pole, 6 or 7 days of lunar operations depending on the provider, and options for different numbers of spacewalks. The 6–7 days here are **lunar operations including the surface stay**; this whole period should not be read as the exact time spent on the surface. The document uses the terms “Notional Plan” and “Assumptions”. [NASA/Lori Glaze pre-mission presentation, final slide](https://www.nationalacademies.org/cdn/materials/a1f17baf-6a4e-4401-9458-6f21a236bcd2)

## 2. Why is the old plan misleading?

The Artemis IV description published in 2024 included the first visit to Gateway, delivery of the Lunar I-Hab module, SLS Block 1B and the new mobile launcher. This is the earlier mission architecture. [NASA's 2024 Artemis IV description](https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasas-artemis-iv-building-first-lunar-space-station/)

The 27 February 2026 update turned Artemis III into a systems test to be conducted in Earth orbit in 2027 and moved the crewed landing to Artemis IV. The rendezvous, docking and joint operation capabilities of Orion and the commercial landers will first be tested near Earth. NASA also aims to standardize the SLS configuration. [NASA, 27 February 2026](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/)

On 24 March 2026, NASA announced that it would pause Gateway in its current form and redirect suitable equipment and partner contributions to lunar surface infrastructure. For this reason, no mandatory Gateway visit or I-Hab delivery should be added to the current T+ sequence. [NASA, 24 March 2026](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-unveils-initiatives-to-achieve-americas-national-space-policy/)

Document dates also need attention regarding the upper stage: the June pre-mission presentation shows ICPS or Centaur V options; NASA's 2026 technical paper describes the use of Centaur V. In this research, the full upper-stage details of Artemis IV and the associated burn times were not treated as finalized. [NASA technical paper](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20260004347/downloads/Final%20-%20JANNAF%202026%20Paper.pdf?attachment=true)

## 3. Pre-launch progress

| Date / period | Verifiable development | Significance for the mission |
|---|---|---|
| 10 November 2025 | ESA announced that ESM-4 was ready to ship. | Progress in production of Orion's European-built service module. |
| 22 December 2025 | The June 2026 NASA presentation gives this date for ESM-4's arrival at Kennedy. | The service module moved into the processing phase in the US. |
| 27 February 2026 | The mission sequence was updated so that Artemis III is an Earth-orbit test and Artemis IV the first landing. | An integrated rehearsal was added ahead of the landing. |
| 24 March 2026 | The pause of Gateway in its current form was announced. | Priority shifted to surface operations and lunar base infrastructure. |
| 15 May 2026 | The Artemis IV liquid hydrogen tank was moved to a test building at Michoud; news of the event was published on 23 July. | Preparation for pressure verification tests of the SLS core stage tank. |
| June 2026 | NASA presented the preliminary mission draft. | A four-person crew, a two-person landing crew and a ≤21-day flight assumption are documented. |
| August–September 2026 | NASA updated its tests of engine plume interaction with lunar soil. | Dust, surface erosion and effects on the vehicle during landing are being investigated. |
| 2027, target | Artemis III Earth-orbit test. | Orion–lander interfaces, rendezvous and docking operations will be tested. |
| Early 2028, target | Artemis IV crewed lunar landing. | Vehicles, suits and integrated systems need to be ready. |

Sources: [ESA ESM-4](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/European_Service_Module-4_is_ready_to_sail), [NASA tank move](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/crews-move-artemis-iv-liquid-hydrogen-tank/), [NASA surface interaction tests](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-begins-moon-mission-plume-surface-interaction-tests/). Sources for the architecture and the pre-mission presentation are given above next to the relevant claims.

## 4. Sequence of operations derived from official statements

1. **Preparation of the landing system:** The commercial vehicle and its associated launch, refueling and test activities are completed. The provider-specific number of flights and the detailed schedule are not finalized in this work.
2. **SLS/Orion launch:** Four astronauts leave Earth.
3. **Transfer to the Moon:** Orion travels to the rendezvous region around the Moon.
4. **Rendezvous and docking:** Orion joins up with the commercial lander.
5. **Two crew members transfer to the lander:** The crew completes vehicle and suit preparations for the descent to the surface.
6. **Landing in the south polar region:** The lander performs a controlled descent.
7. **Surface exploration:** The astronauts carry out observations, sample collection and science activities.
8. **Lunar ascent:** The two astronauts return to orbit in the lander.
9. **Reunion in Orion:** The four-person crew prepares for the return to Earth.
10. **Return to Earth:** Orion performs the return journey and atmospheric entry.
11. **Pacific splashdown and recovery:** The capsule splashes down at sea; the crew is picked up.

The core of this sequence is NASA's current mission description. Intermediate activities such as checks, preparations and securing the samples are operational inferences added to make the announced mission flow easier to follow. [NASA mission description](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iv/), [NASA current architecture summary](https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/nasa-strengthens-artemis-adds-mission-refines-overall-architecture/)

## 5. T+ timeline — REPRESENTATIVE SCENARIO

**T+0 = moment of the crewed SLS/Orion launch. T+1 day = 24 hours after launch.**

**The days below are not Artemis IV flight times published by NASA.** They are an illustrative layout created to show the announced mission sequence, the roughly one-week surface stay and the ≤21-day pre-mission assumption. The actual mission may shift to different days depending on the selected lander, trajectory, launch window and operational decisions.

| Representative time | Phase | What happens? | Status of information |
|---|---|---|---|
| T−months / T−weeks | Preparation and vehicle campaign | Lander preparation, necessary refueling, tests and flight readiness reviews. | Details depend on the provider. |
| T−hours | Final preparations | Crew boarding, propellant and ground system operations, final checks. | Artemis IV-specific times have not been announced. |
| **T+0** | Launch | SLS lifts Orion with four astronauts aboard. | Mission architecture announced; calendar date unknown. |
| T+first minutes / hours | Ascent and start of transfer | The rocket stages perform their tasks; Orion's flight systems are verified and the lunar transfer is initiated. | No minute-by-minute IV schedule. |
| **T+1 day** | Outbound flight | Cruise, vehicle checks, communications and flight preparation. | Day placement representative. |
| **T+2–4 days** | Journey to the Moon | Cruise continues; rendezvous preparations are made. | Day range representative. |
| **T+approx. 5–6 days** | Rendezvous around the Moon | Orion docks with the lander; two astronauts transfer to the vehicle. | Event planned; day range representative. |
| **T+approx. 6 days** | Lunar landing | Two astronauts reach the south polar region. | Region generally known; exact site and day unknown. |
| **T+approx. 7–11 days** | Surface science | Spacewalks, geological observations, sample collection and deployment of suitable science payloads. | Activities being planned; daily distribution representative. |
| **T+approx. 12 days** | Surface ascent and rendezvous | Samples are secured; two astronauts return to orbit and transfer to Orion. | Mission sequence announced; day representative. |
| **T+approx. 13 days** | Start of return to Earth | The four-person crew departs lunar vicinity in Orion. | Day representative. |
| **T+approx. 14–17 days** | Return flight | Cruise, necessary course corrections and entry preparation. | Day range representative. |
| **T+approx. 18–21 days** | Atmospheric entry, splashdown, recovery | Orion enters Earth's atmosphere and splashes down in the Pacific; the crew is picked up. | Pacific return planned; this T+ range is representative, not an exact end date. |

This table is a narrative draft that can be used when no exact T+ information is available. When NASA's official flight plan is published, all representative days should be replaced with it. The 21 days are not presented as an exact end date, a guarantee or a finalized engineering constraint.

## 6. What will be investigated on the lunar surface?

The general work consists of geological observation, rock/soil samples and study of the lunar environment. The astronauts' science objectives jointly support crewed surface experience and data generation for subsequent missions. [NASA Artemis program](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/artemis/)

**DUSTER** was selected to measure the lunar dust and plasma environment aboard a small autonomous rover. The effects of human movement and of the lander's liftoff on this environment will also be studied. **SPSS** will investigate the Moon's seismic environment and interior structure; shallow subsurface structure may also be measured using an artificial seismic pulse generated by the astronauts. NASA states explicitly that it has selected these two payloads for development for Artemis IV but **will determine the final flight manifest later**. Therefore, it should not be written that these instruments will definitely fly. [NASA science payload selection, 4 December 2025](https://science.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-4/nasa-selects-2-instruments-for-artemis-iv-lunar-surface-science/)

Axiom's lunar suit is being developed for the astronauts' extravehicular activities. The first landing mission will also demonstrate the integrated use of the suit and surface operations. A detailed spacewalk program and the duration of each spacewalk could not be found as a finalized IV schedule. [NASA pre-mission presentation](https://www.nationalacademies.org/cdn/materials/a1f17baf-6a4e-4401-9458-6f21a236bcd2)

## 7. What conditions does the schedule depend on?

The GAO report dated 23 July 2026 reiterates that the readiness of the HLS vehicles will determine which provider performs the first landing. It assesses SpaceX's in-orbit cryogenic propellant storage and transfer technology as a significant risk; propellant storage/transfer and cooling risks are also being tracked for Blue Origin. The report's status assessment “as of May 2026” should not be used as evidence that the same test had still not been performed in October 2026. [GAO-26-108556](https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-26-108556/index.html)

Other important dependencies are the joint operation of Orion and the lander, life support and suit readiness, flight certification, ground systems, and suitable lighting and landing conditions. Artemis III will be conducted in Earth orbit to reduce the risk of these integrated activities. NASA's May 2026 announcement describes tests of the docking system, life support, lander interfaces and the return heat shield. [NASA Artemis III preliminary plan](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-3/nasa-outlines-preliminary-artemis-iii-mission-plans/)

NASA is also testing the interaction between lunar soil and engine plume. The continuation of this work shows that surface risks are being addressed together with the operations plan and vehicle design. [NASA surface interaction tests](https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/nasa-begins-moon-mission-plume-surface-interaction-tests/)

## 8. How will the mission end, and what comes next?

The crewed flight concludes with the two surface astronauts rejoining the other two astronauts in Orion, the return to Earth and a splashdown in the Pacific. Crew evaluation, capsule inspections, flight data analysis and scientific study of the returned samples are expected to follow; this post-mission sequence is an operational inference, not a published IV schedule. [NASA mission schedule](https://www.nasa.gov/event/artemis-iv/)

Artemis IV is not planned as the end of the lunar program. NASA's current summary gives a target of an additional crewed landing for Artemis V in late 2028. After Artemis V, NASA aims initially for a surface landing roughly every six months using commercial and reusable systems. The lunar base approach progresses from robotic activities and technology experiments first, then early infrastructure and regular logistics, and later a long-duration human presence. This does not mean a completed permanent base will be established during Artemis IV. [NASA current roadmap](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/going-back-to-the-moon.pdf), [NASA lunar base approach](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-unveils-initiatives-to-achieve-americas-national-space-policy/)

## 9. Open questions

- Exact launch date, time and launch window.
- Artemis IV crew names; not given in the current mission sources reviewed.
- The commercial provider that will perform the first landing and the final vehicle configuration.
- Minute-by-minute ascent/burn schedule; exact T+ values for lunar arrival, docking, landing and return.
- Final orbit and transfer profile; older NRHO documents should not automatically be taken as the final profile.
- Exact landing site, coordinates, traverse routes and each day's science program.
- Final science payload manifest and exact sample quantity.
- Exact total mission duration and a comparable final cost for a single flight.

Social media speculation about these unknowns and dates from the old architecture have not been substituted for current flight data. The “last modified” date of a technical report has also not been assumed to be the same as the date of the mission plan within the document.