NASA is advancing plans for its next Artemis mission after the successful completion of Artemis II, which sent astronauts on a historic flyby around the moon and back to Earth.

The Artemis II crew commander, Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, safely returned Friday with a Pacific Ocean splashdown, marking the first time humans have traveled to the moon and back in over half a century.

Speaking at a homecoming event in Houston, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the mission signaled a new era of space exploration, pointing to global interest in what comes next.

That next step is Artemis III, a mission designed to further prepare for a return to the lunar surface. According to NASA officials, the upcoming flight will focus on practicing docking maneuvers in Earth orbit between the Orion spacecraft and a lunar lander, a key capability required for future moon landings.

Private-sector partners are playing a central role in that effort. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin are both developing competing lunar landers. SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon systems are expected to support later missions, including a planned lunar landing currently targeted for 2028.

NASA officials say the long-term goal is to establish a sustained human presence near the moon’s south pole, where large deposits of ice are believed to exist. Those resources could be used for water and fuel, supporting extended missions and potential future infrastructure.

The Artemis II mission also marked several milestones, including the first time a woman, a person of color, and a non-U.S. astronaut traveled to the moon. During their nearly 10-day journey, the crew captured unprecedented views of the moon’s far side and witnessed a solar eclipse from lunar orbit.

Beyond technical achievements, the mission carried emotional weight for the astronauts. The crew publicly reflected on personal losses and the significance of viewing Earth from deep space, describing the planet as both fragile and worth protecting.

NASA has not yet announced the crew for Artemis III, but indicated that a decision will come soon. The mission is expected to serve as a critical test, similar to the role played by Apollo 9, which validated key systems before the first moon landing during the Apollo era.

As planning continues, officials acknowledge the risks involved in human spaceflight while emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum. The Artemis program is intended to build on past achievements while laying the groundwork for future exploration beyond the moon.