Starship Must Be Fully Operational by 2028 for NASA's Artemis IV Moon Landing

NASA aims to land humans on the Moon for the first time since 1972 with the Artemis IV mission in early 2028, using SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System. Starship has flown 14 times as of September 2026 but still needs to prove orbital reliability, in-orbit propellant transfer and docking with Orion. If SpaceX falls behind, NASA could turn to Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander, which is also still in development.

• Artemis IV is targeted for early 2028, the first crewed lunar landing since 1972
• Starship has flown 14 times as of September 2026, with its upper stage reaching orbit for the first time
• SpaceX must demonstrate in-orbit cryogenic refueling and docking with NASA's Orion
• Blue Origin's Blue Moon and New Glenn also lag: three flights and a May 2026 pad explosion