Artemis follow-up mission is 'right around the corner' after Artemis II splashdown

After Artemis II's Pacific splashdown, officials said Artemis III is being prepared and will rehearse docking an Orion capsule with a commercial lunar lander in Earth orbit next year.

Artemis II returned to Earth with a Pacific splashdown and the crew were welcomed at a Houston press conference. Officials described the mission's views, distance and homecoming as notable while attention turned toward the next missions. Entry flight director Rick Henfling said, "The next mission's right around the corner." NASA is preparing for Artemis III, which is planned as an in-orbit docking rehearsal with a commercial lunar lander, and work by industry partners is already underway. Known details: - The Artemis II crew splashed down in the Pacific and were welcomed at a Houston press conference. - Entry flight director Rick Henfling said the next mission is "right around the corner." - Artemis III is planned to keep astronauts in Earth orbit next year to rehearse docking the Orion capsule with a commercial lunar lander. - SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander are both mentioned as competing to demonstrate lunar lander capability and to carry future Artemis crews. - NASA has positioned hardware at Kennedy Space Center while SpaceX and Blue Origin prepare further tests and demonstrations. - The moon's south pole is the long-term target because it is believed to contain ice that could support a future base, and the program's broader development is reported to have estimated costs in the range of $20 billion to $30 billion. Summary: NASA is shifting focus from Artemis II recovery to preparing Artemis III, which will rehearse a critical docking test in Earth orbit. Industry partners are advancing lander tests and hardware placement as part of the program sequence. NASA is expected to announce the Artemis III crew soon.