NASA announced plans to accelerate its Artemis program, standardize the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and add a new mission to support returning astronauts to the Moon.

The update, shared at Kennedy Space Center, highlighted preparations for Artemis II, focusing on transportation systems for crewed lunar missions.

NASA plans to introduce a 2027 mission to test capabilities closer to Earth before sending astronauts to the lunar South Pole in 2028, aiming for one Moon mission per year thereafter.

The agency is refining its architecture and will provide further details on mission approaches and crew assignments in the coming months, NASA has reported.

These efforts are part of NASA’s broader goal to expand lunar exploration, advance scientific discovery, and lay the groundwork for eventual crewed missions to Mars.