More than 50 years since humans last walked on the Moon – why has NASA stepped back again?

NASA has announced an unexpected shift in its Artemis programme, with the previously pivotal Artemis III mission no longer set to carry astronauts to the lunar surface.

The decision was outlined by NASA’s newly confirmed administrator, Jared Isaacman, who said the ultimate goal — returning humans to the Moon — remains unchanged, but the timetable had to be aligned with the programme’s real technical readiness. In recent months the effort has been dogged by delays and technical issues, while professional criticism of the mission has also intensified.

Shortly before the announcement, an independent space safety panel described the original Artemis III concept as particularly risky. According to the report, the mission’s objectives were too ambitious relative to the current level of readiness, and it urged a reassessment of the programme.

Isaacman indicated that NASA will return to the proven logic of the Apollo era, advancing through smaller, sequential steps and incorporating lessons from each preceding flight. As he put it, the agency needs to “get back to basics”.

The last time humans visited the Moon was in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. NASA astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt walked on the surface, while their crewmate Ronald Evans remained in lunar orbit. Cernan was the last person to leave the Moon — and no human has returned since.

Fresh technical issues before launch

Uncertainty around the programme largely stems from a string of technical problems. Engineers most recently identified a helium flow anomaly in the upper stage of the Space Launch System rocket, prompting further checks, but this was not the first warning sign.

In February, a hydrogen leak forced the cancellation of a launch attempt, reinforcing concerns that the system is not yet fully mature.

The setback also affects the schedule of the Artemis II mission. The four-astronaut lunar flyby, originally planned for early March, is now expected to launch no earlier than early April.

If the mission proceeds as planned, the crew will spend roughly ten days in lunar orbit. The flight represents a critical dress rehearsal: astronauts will travel farther from Earth than the Apollo 13 crew did in 1970, providing valuable data for future deep-space missions.

NASA: Next Moon landing no earlier than 2028

Isaacman also stressed that despite the strategic adjustment, the end goal remains unchanged. NASA still intends to land humans on the Moon, but will now proceed through additional intermediate steps to reduce risk. Artemis III will primarily serve as a technology and flight experience mission for the new systems.

Under the revised plan, the mission will no longer head towards the Moon but instead conduct complex system tests in low Earth orbit, allowing NASA to gather further flight experience ahead of a crewed landing attempt.

If the updated schedule holds, the first new US crewed lunar landing could fall to Artemis IV, no earlier than 2028. The target remains the Moon’s south polar region, considered crucial for future lunar base development.

According to NASA leadership, the more cautious approach may slow the programme in the near term but ultimately increases the chances of a sustainable human return to the Moon.

The shift also comes amid growing momentum in Hungary’s own space sector, highlighted by the upcoming Space Summit 2026, which we covered earlier.

Cover photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky