Artemis III Lunar Landing Site Selection: Final Candidates & 2026 Updates
Quick Summary
As of March 8, 2026, NASA's Artemis III mission—slated for a September 2026 launch—has entered its final stages of landing site selection. Out of the original 13 regions proposed in 2022, mission planners have narrowed the list down to a handful of prime targets near the Lunar South Pole, heavily favoring the Malapert Massif and the Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge. The selection relies on balancing SpaceX's Starship HLS terrain constraints, Earth line-of-sight communication needs, and proximity to Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) containing primordial water ice.
Key Questions & Expert Answers (Updated: 2026-03-08)
Where exactly will Artemis III land?
While the definitive 100-meter landing ellipse will be locked in roughly 60 days prior to launch, NASA is currently focusing heavily on the Malapert Massif and the Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge at the Lunar South Pole. These sites offer the optimal balance of prolonged sunlight for solar power arrays and proximity to permanently shadowed craters containing water ice.
Why has the selection taken so long?
The delay is primarily due to the evolution of the landing hardware. The massive size of SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System (HLS) requires an incredibly flat surface (less than an 8-degree slope). Furthermore, engineers required extensive data on Plume Surface Interaction (PSI)—how the engines will blast lunar regolith upon descent—which forced planners to re-evaluate sites with precarious boulder fields.
Is the September 2026 launch date still viable?
Yes. Despite early hardware delays reported in 2024 and 2025, the successful uncrewed cryogenic fluid transfer tests in early 2026 have solidified the timeline. The site selection narrowing reflects NASA's confidence in meeting the September 2026 launch window.
Table of Contents
The South Pole Imperative: Why We Are Going
Unlike the Apollo missions of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which targeted the relatively flat, sunlit equatorial regions of the Moon, the Artemis program has set its sights on the treacherous, crater-pocked Lunar South Pole. As of today, March 8, 2026, the geopolitical and scientific race to secure a foothold in this region is at an all-time high, driven largely by the presence of Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs).
These PSRs act as cold traps, harboring ancient water ice that has remained untouched for billions of years. For sustained human presence on the Moon—and eventual crewed missions to Mars—water is the ultimate currency. It provides drinking water, oxygen for life support, and, crucially, can be split into hydrogen and oxygen to manufacture rocket propellant.
However, landing at the South Pole presents intense challenges. The sun hovers perpetually near the horizon, casting shadows that stretch for miles and masking hazardous terrain. This unique lighting environment dictated that NASA and its international partners utilize the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to map the region continuously over the past two decades, creating the high-fidelity topological maps driving today's final selection.
Narrowing the 13: The 2026 Finalists
In late 2022, NASA announced 13 candidate regions for the Artemis III landing. Each region is roughly 15 by 15 kilometers. However, as mission parameters solidified in late 2025 and early 2026, NASA quietly down-selected these regions to focus on a few prime candidates. The current front-runners are:
1. Malapert Massif
Located near the South Pole, the Malapert Massif is a towering mountain of ancient lunar rock. It has emerged as a top candidate in 2026 because of its relatively flat summit and exceptional Earth visibility. Constant Earth line-of-sight is vital for direct-to-Earth (DTE) communications, reducing reliance on orbital relay satellites. Moreover, the massif receives prolonged periods of sunlight, simplifying thermal management and solar power generation for the Axiom Space-designed Extravehicular Mobility Units (xEMUs) and the Starship HLS.
2. Shackleton de Gerlache Ridge
Connecting the massive Shackleton and de Gerlache craters, this ridge represents a "Goldilocks" zone for science. It offers sunlit peaks immediately adjacent to deep, permanently shadowed craters. The current 2026 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) plans indicate that astronauts could land on the sunlit ridge, deploy solar assets, and conduct brief, highly choreographed excursions into the edge of the shadows to sample primitive ice.
3. Faustini Rim A
A slightly more challenging terrain, the rim of the Faustini crater provides access to geologically diverse material ejected during ancient impacts. While its slopes are steeper, recent LRO topological data processed in January 2026 revealed several flat "benches" suitable for an HLS landing.
The Starship Factor: HLS Constraints on Site Selection
The most significant variable differentiating Artemis III from Apollo is the landing vehicle. SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System is a towering behemoth, standing roughly 50 meters tall. This vertical architecture heavily dictates the landing site selection as of 2026.
- Tilt Tolerance: Starship's high center of gravity means it cannot land on an incline greater than roughly 8 degrees without risking a tip-over during touchdown. This strictly eliminates crater walls and heavily undulating plains.
- Plume Surface Interaction (PSI): Starship's Raptor engines generate immense thrust. When firing near the lunar surface, they will eject massive amounts of high-velocity regolith. Sites with loose, deep dust or unstable boulder fields have been eliminated to prevent debris from damaging the lander or entering orbit and striking the Lunar Gateway.
- Elevator Deployment: The crew will descend from the cabin to the lunar surface via an elevator system. The ground immediately beneath the lander must be free of major craters or boulders that could obstruct the elevator's path or damage the deployment mechanism.
Scientific Return on Investment (ROI)
The 2026 science definition team for Artemis III has prioritized volatile collection. The selected site must allow astronauts to extract core samples from depths of up to one meter.
Recent data from the LRO and the ShadowCam instrument (flown on the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter) have helped planners identify surface frost signatures in the candidate zones. The goal is to collect these samples, seal them in cryogenic vacuum containers, and return them to Earth to determine the isotopic composition of the water. If the water matches the isotopic signature of Earth's oceans, it could prove that comets delivered water to both bodies simultaneously.
Furthermore, landing near the South Pole Aitken Basin gives geologists a chance to collect mantle material excavated by the ancient impact that formed the basin, offering unprecedented insights into the Moon's interior.
Future Outlook & Next Steps
As we push through the first quarter of 2026, the window for theoretical debate is closing. NASA is expected to announce the final primary landing site and two backup sites by May 2026, allowing astronaut crews (including the commander and lunar module pilot) to lock in their Virtual Reality (VR) terrain training.
Simultaneously, the pacing item remains the successful launch and orbital refueling of the Starship architecture in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) before the HLS transits to the Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. If the technological convergence holds, humanity will soon see its first footprints at the Lunar South Pole.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Artemis III launch?
As of early 2026, the Artemis III launch is targeted for September 2026. This date was adjusted from the original 2025 estimate to allow for further development of the Starship HLS and the Axiom spacesuits.
How many astronauts will land on the Moon during Artemis III?
Two astronauts will descend to the lunar surface in the Starship HLS, marking the first time a woman and a person of color step onto the Moon. The other two crew members will remain in orbit inside the Orion spacecraft.
Why can't they land exactly inside the permanently shadowed craters?
Landing directly in a PSR is currently impossible due to the lack of sunlight required to power the lander and spacesuits. Additionally, the extreme cold (down to -400°F / -240°C) and completely unknown terrain topography make it too hazardous for a crewed touchdown.
What spacesuits will be used for the South Pole environment?
Astronauts will wear the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU). Designed specifically for the Artemis missions, these suits feature enhanced mobility, robust thermal insulation against South Pole extremes, and specialized lights to navigate long shadows.
How does the site selection compare to China's Chang'e 7 and 8 plans?
China is also targeting the Lunar South Pole for its uncrewed Chang'e 7 (2026) and Chang'e 8 (2028) missions, eventually leading to their International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Both NASA and CNSA have expressed interest in overlapping regions like Shackleton crater, underscoring the strategic value of the South Pole.