Plans by NASA to return astronauts to the Moon under the Artemis program have been delayed again, pushing the timeline for a crewed lunar landing further into the future.

The mission expected to carry astronauts to the lunar surface, Artemis III, was originally targeted for 2025. That schedule has now slipped, with the next lunar landing effort effectively moving to Artemis IV, which is currently expected to launch in early 2028.

If that timeline holds, it would mark the first time humans have set foot on the Moon since the final mission of the Apollo program in 1972.

The Artemis III mission had been planned to land astronauts near the Moon’s south pole, a region scientists believe could contain water ice that may be useful for future exploration and long-term lunar operations. However, technical hurdles and development delays involving spacecraft, landing systems, and supporting infrastructure have repeatedly forced NASA to revise its timeline.

The delays come during a turbulent period in American spaceflight that has included several high-profile incidents and developments involving both government and private-sector space programs.

In 2024, astronauts flying aboard a spacecraft developed by Boeing were temporarily stranded in orbit after technical problems with the company’s capsule, requiring assistance from spacecraft operated by SpaceX, the aerospace firm founded by Elon Musk.

Meanwhile, private space tourism has also drawn headlines. Flights conducted by Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, have carried civilians on short trips above the Kármán line, widely recognized as the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.

Despite the setbacks, NASA officials continue to emphasize that the Artemis program remains the centerpiece of the United States’ long-term lunar exploration strategy. The program is intended not only to return astronauts to the Moon but also to establish a sustained human presence there as a foundation for eventual missions to Mars.

If successful, Artemis would mark the first human return to the lunar surface in more than half a century, reviving a chapter of exploration first achieved during the Apollo era.