Four astronauts launched on April 1st on a 10-day trip around the Moon and back — the first humans in deep space in over 50 years. The coverage has been celebratory. Gregory is not here to dampen that.
Credit: NASA/Daniel O’Neal
But here’s what’s worth sitting with: the first actual lunar landing isn’t planned until Artemis IV, currently targeted for 2028. Artemis II flew around the Moon. Artemis III is conducting docking tests in Earth orbit. We are, at minimum, two years from boots on the surface.
Meanwhile, the Lunar Gateway, the space station intended to support long-term lunar operations, was shelved in March 2026. The program also faced multiple launch delays, with attempts scrubbed in both February and March due to hydrogen leaks before finally lifting off on April 1st.
Gregory isn’t saying the mission isn’t remarkable. It is. But he notices that the gap between “humans flew near the Moon” and “humans are back on the Moon” is being quietly glossed over in the excitement. Apollo 8 orbited the Moon in 1968. Apollo 11 landed seven months later.
It’s been 54 years. We’re still practicing.
Visit Royal Museums Greenwich and NASA for more Artemis news.
