Lunar Week: NASA Moon Base awards, China's crewed landing roadmap, tracker update

This week on the Moon

Our data shows no lunar launches, landings or scheduled events in the coming week.

United States

NASA announced a suite of awards and mission updates on November 7 to expand its Moon Base exploration, science and infrastructure capabilities. The announcement covers commercial robotic deliveries, a nuclear-powered rover named PROMISE, launch and orbital transfer services, and surface infrastructure.^[1]

NASASpaceFlight reported that NASA booked PROMISE a ride to the lunar south pole as part of a wide-ranging update. NASA's PROMISE mission page describes the rover as carrying science instruments and technology demonstrations sponsored by three NASA directorates.^[2][3]

NASA is accepting applications for its next astronaut class. NASA says it last opened applications in 2024.^[4][5][6]

NASA's Artemis page states that in an update on Oct. 23, agency leaders shared the agency's path to returning Americans to the lunar surface in 2028. The page also refers to an Artemis III test flight in 2027.^[7]

Voyager Technologies raised the bottom of its 2026 sales forecast by US$10 million, to $285 million, and left the top at $305 million, SpaceQ reported. SpaceQ noted that the increase did not come from Astrobotic, the lunar lander builder Voyager bought in July.^[8]

Ars Technica's Rocket Report, citing Bloomberg, said Blue Origin now plans to return New Glenn to flight in January, after aiming for before the end of the year. Ars Technica also reported that Blue Origin announced two upgrades to New Glenn, aimed at lower manufacturing cost and greater payload capacity to geostationary orbit and the Moon.^[9][10]

China

Space.com reported that China has laid out a roadmap for landing astronauts on the moon "before 2030". Universe Today reported that Wang Xiang, deputy chief designer of China's crewed space program and chief designer of the lunar exploration program, outlined the plans in a keynote at the 7th Manned Space Symposium, held October 31 to November 1 in Beijing.^[11][12]

Elsewhere

New Space Economy reported that Blue Origin introduced GS3, a new upper stage intended to extend New Glenn's capabilities to direct geostationary orbit insertion, lunar trajectories and other high-energy missions. The publication's headline states a first government mission is planned for 2028.^[13]

Ars Technica reported that Interstellar Technologies announced more government funding for the Japanese Zero rocket.^[9]

Tracker check

The SpaceNexus tracker, as of 2026-11-02, shows the crewed landing ladder at 3.5 of 8 rungs for the United States and 1.75 of 8 for China, with the status "United States leads on demonstrated milestones". The listed official targets are "2028 for Artemis IV" for the United States and "Before 2030 (2030年前)" for China.^[14][15]

On the permanent presence ladder the tracker shows the United States at 1 of 8 rungs and China at 1.25 of 8, with the status "Level on demonstrated milestones". The projection entry for the first crewed landing reads "Too close to call". A November 2 evidence review changed no rung level, ladder total, lead call or official target. It moved the United States central projected landing date from November 6, 2030 to October 19, 2030; China's stayed at November 21, 2029.^[16][17][18]