NASA is aiming to land astronauts on the Moon in 2028 for the first time in over 50 years. But one crucial question remains open: which of the competing spacecraft will be the one to touch down on the lunar surface?
The Goal: Artemis IV
The mission in question is Artemis IV,
currently scheduled for early 2028. It is set to be the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. This comes after a restructuring of the Artemis program in early 2026, which repurposed the Artemis III mission. Artemis III, now slated for 2027, will be a critical test flight in low-Earth orbit to practice rendezvous and docking procedures with test versions of the lunar landers. The data gathered from Artemis III will be vital for ensuring the safety and success of the actual landing attempt on Artemis IV the following year.
A New Kind of Space Race
Instead of a competition between nations, this is a race between two American corporate giants: SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, and Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos. NASA has adopted a strategy of fostering competition between private companies to develop the Human Landing System (HLS) needed to get astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back. This approach is designed to increase innovation, reduce costs for taxpayers, and ensure redundancy in the program. If one provider's system faces delays, the other can potentially step in, keeping the overall timeline on track.
The Contenders: Starship and Blue Moon
The two companies are developing distinct lunar landers. SpaceX is building a version of its massive Starship spacecraft, adapted for lunar landing. Blue Origin's team is developing its Blue Moon lander. Both companies have been awarded significant contracts by NASA to develop their systems. SpaceX was selected first to provide landers for the Artemis III and IV missions. Later, in a bid to ensure competition and resilience, NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract to develop a second lander option for subsequent missions, starting with Artemis V.
Why No Final Decision?
The headline's premise is correct: as of late 2026, NASA has not officially assigned a specific provider for the historic 2028 landing. This isn't due to a lack of progress, but a deliberate strategy. NASA plans to use the Artemis III orbital tests in 2027 to evaluate both lander 'pathfinders' in a real-world space environment. According to recent statements, the agency intends to wait as long as possible before making a final choice. The ultimate decision will come down to 'lander readiness'. Whichever company—SpaceX or Blue Origin—demonstrates their system is safer, more reliable, and ready to fly will get the honor of carrying the first Artemis astronauts to the lunar surface.
Implications for the 2028 Timeline
This competitive approach is NASA's way of managing the immense technical challenges of returning to the Moon. Building a human-rated lunar lander is an incredibly complex task. Recent reports from government watchdogs noted that development timelines are tight and pointed to the technical hurdles that still need to be cleared, such as the crucial in-space refueling required for SpaceX's Starship. By keeping both companies in the running, NASA creates pressure to perform while also giving itself options. The 2028 target is ambitious, and this dual-provider strategy is seen as the best way to give the agency a fighting chance to meet it.
