NASA Outlines 2027 Test Mission Ahead of Planned Moon Return in 2028

NASA unveiled new details on Friday about preparations for a test mission to Earth orbit in 2027, a step toward returning astronauts to the Moon in 2028.

The US space agency’s planned orbital flight is intended to help pave the way for the lunar return. The timetable puts the test mission a year before the targeted landing.

Preparations are unfolding as SpaceX and Blue Origin compete to develop lunar landing vehicles, a key part of the effort to take astronauts back to the Moon.

The plans place both the orbital test and lander development at the center of NASA’s push toward 2028. For now, that year remains the target for a crewed return, rather than a completed milestone.