Overview

• NASA officials said the Artemis II launch window opens on February 5, 2026, with the SLS already stacked and Orion to be mated and run through a wet dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center.
• The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel concluded after a Starbase visit that the Starship Human Landing System schedule is significantly challenged and could be years late for Artemis III.
• A decisive hurdle is cryogenic propellant transfer in orbit, which SpaceX has not yet demonstrated and which the HLS architecture requires for a lunar mission.
• SpaceX achieved a successful Starship flight on August 26 after earlier failures, but NASA lacks a near‑term alternative for Artemis III, as Blue Origin’s lander is contracted for a later mission.
• NASA leaders tout acceleration of Artemis II and highlight U.S. resolve in a tightening race with China’s 2030 crewed Moon goal, while reiterating that crew safety guides the schedule.