The Rigorous Selection Process
The journey to selecting the Artemis III landing site has been a multi-year effort of unprecedented scientific scrutiny. Initially, NASA identified 13 candidate regions near the Lunar South Pole, including areas like Faustini Rim, de Gerlache Rim, and the Amundsen crater. By late 2024 and early 2025, the list was narrowed down, and today, in March 2026, the global space community finally has the definitive target.
Evaluating these sites required balancing extreme engineering constraints with massive scientific payoffs. Space exploration is inherently an exercise in risk management. The Starship HLS, while revolutionary in its payload capacity, requires a relatively flat landing pad. At the same time, the site must be bathed in sunlight to power the solar arrays of the lander and the astronauts' equipment.
Experts from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) team utilized high-resolution topographic mapping to simulate lighting conditions over the 6.5-day surface mission. Malapert Massif emerged as the clear winner, offering a narrow but stable plateau that satisfies both the "flatness" criteria and the "illumination" criteria.
The Geology of Malapert Massif: Why It Matters
Malapert Massif is a towering geological formation near the lunar South Pole. It is a remnant of a massive, ancient impact event, making its exposed bedrock a treasure trove of lunar history. Scientists believe that studying the rock samples from this region will provide unparalleled insights into the early solar system and the Late Heavy Bombardment period.
More importantly, the massif is situated adjacent to several deep craters whose floors are enveloped in eternal darkness. The temperature in these Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) plunges below -400°F (-240°C), creating "cold traps" where volatile compounds—most notably water—have been frozen in place for billions of years.
During their surface stay, the Artemis III crew will conduct Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) to the edges of these craters. While the astronauts will remain in the sunlit areas to maintain thermal stability and communication, they will use specialized tools to extract core samples from the shadowed regions. Discovering the exact concentration, depth, and purity of this ice is the primary scientific objective of the mission.
Hardware Readiness: SpaceX HLS and Axiom Suits
The landing site selection is intimately tied to the capabilities of the hardware. As of March 2026, significant milestones have been achieved in the physical infrastructure of the Artemis III mission.
SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS): The sheer size of Starship—standing over 160 feet tall on the lunar surface—creates unique challenges. The landing site at Malapert Massif was heavily vetted to ensure the ground density can support the massive vehicle without severe subsidence. Recent sub-orbital and orbital tests of the Starship platform have verified the functionality of the landing engines, which are mounted high on the vehicle to prevent blasting a crater into the landing site (a phenomenon known as plume surface interaction).
Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU): The astronauts will traverse the challenging terrain of the South Pole wearing next-generation spacesuits designed by Axiom Space. Unlike the bulky Apollo suits, the AxEMU offers enhanced joint mobility, allowing astronauts to crouch, kneel, and walk more naturally. Furthermore, the suits feature advanced thermal regulation systems specifically engineered for the extreme temperature gradients of the South Pole, where an astronaut's boots might be in deep freeze while their helmet is in blazing, unfiltered sunlight.
Planned Surface Operations & EVAs
Once the Starship HLS touches down at Malapert Massif, the two surface crew members—one of whom will be the first woman to walk on the Moon, and the other the first person of color—will spend approximately 6.5 Earth days on the lunar surface.
- Descent and Egress: Astronauts will lower themselves from the towering Starship cabin via a specialized elevator mechanism, a significant departure from the simple ladders of the Apollo Lunar Module.
- Moonwalks (EVAs): The crew is scheduled for up to four moonwalks. They will deploy a suite of scientific instruments, including seismometers to measure moonquakes, and thermal sensors to measure heat flow from the lunar interior.
- Sample Collection: Unlike Apollo, where astronauts mostly picked up surface rocks, the Artemis III crew is equipped with advanced drilling tools to retrieve core samples from the cryogenic soil near the PSRs. They are expected to return with up to 187 pounds (85 kilograms) of pristine lunar material.
Future Outlook: Beyond Artemis III
The confirmation of the Malapert Massif landing site is not just a milestone for Artemis III; it is the cornerstone for humanity's long-term lunar architecture. The data gathered from this location will directly inform the placement of the Artemis Base Camp, planned for the 2030s.
If significant, easily extractable water ice is found near Malapert, it could become the "refueling station" of the solar system. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies, currently in prototype phases on Earth, will eventually be deployed here to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This transforms the Moon from a mere scientific destination into a commercial and operational stepping stone for the upcoming crewed missions to Mars.
As we watch the final preparations unfold throughout 2026, the Artemis III site announcement stands as a testament to human ingenuity. The days of simply leaving flags and footprints are over; we are returning to the Moon to stay.