NASA to Discuss Artemis Acceleration, Status of Upcoming Moon Missions

NASA will hold a briefing on October 23, 2026 at 2 p.m. EDT at its Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss its plans to return American astronauts to the Moon by 2028. The update will cover the Artemis program's progress and provide details about the upcoming Artemis III mission, scheduled for next year. This mission will send four astronauts on a test flight to low Earth orbit, aimed at evaluating crucial systems necessary for future lunar landings.

Participants in the briefing include NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, and Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons. To attend in person, U.S. media must apply online by 12 p.m. on Friday, October 16. Remote media can request a dial-in number from the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the briefing by emailing ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. NASA's media accreditation policy can be found online.

The Artemis program is part of a "Golden Age of innovation and exploration" for NASA, aiming to explore more of the lunar surface, particularly the South Pole region. The mission will not only generate economic benefits and advance scientific discovery but also establish an enduring human presence on the Moon. This groundwork will support the first crewed mission to Mars. More information about Artemis can be found at https://www.nasa.gov/artemis.