2027

Events in 2027 3

• 2027 Artemis III — orbital docking test (late 2027) NASA's Artemis III mission, targeted for late 2027, will not land on the Moon as originally planned. Instead, four astronauts will travel to low Earth orbit aboard Orion and rendezvous with SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander in a 463 km orbit — testing docking procedures and spacesuits in microgravity. The mission clears the path for the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, now targeted for Artemis IV in 2028.
• 2027 SpaceX Starship — uncrewed lunar landing demo Before any crewed Artemis landing, NASA requires SpaceX to demonstrate its Starship Human Landing System with an uncrewed touchdown on the lunar surface. This demonstration is targeted for mid-2027, following several Starship test flights in Earth orbit. Success is a prerequisite for Artemis IV's crewed landing in 2028. The mission will be the first Starship to reach the Moon and one of the largest spacecraft ever to attempt a lunar landing.
• 2027 Total Solar Eclipse — August 2, 2027 One of the longest total solar eclipses of the 21st century, with totality lasting up to 6 minutes 23 seconds over the Red Sea — making it the longest total solar eclipse since 1991. The path of totality crosses Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Cairo and Luxor lie within the path, offering spectacular viewing conditions over the Egyptian desert.