NASA accelerates Moon plan to land astronauts before Trump's term ends

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman reaffirmed the agency's goal of landing astronauts on the Moon within two years, before the end of Donald Trump's term. Artemis 3 is set for next summer to practice docking with a lander in Earth orbit, with Artemis 4 slated for 2028 to land near the lunar south pole.

• Artemis 3 in summer 2026 will test docking with a SpaceX or Blue Origin lander in Earth orbit
• Artemis 4 in 2028 aims for a week on the lunar surface near the south pole
• Isaacman vows to speed up by cutting meetings and bureaucratic inertia
• The landing vehicle is not yet finalized and Starship readiness remains uncertain