NASA Details Artemis III 4-Astronaut Mission to Dock Orion With 2 Lunar Landers
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jul 20
NASA Details Artemis III 4-Astronaut Mission to Dock Orion With 2 Lunar Landers
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 20
Summary
Four astronauts will spend about two weeks in Earth orbit on Artemis III next year, with Orion set to rendezvous separately with Blue Moon and Starship in NASA’s most complex Artemis test yet.
The mission is designed to validate docking, communications and crew-operations procedures before a moon landing: Orion will dock with Blue Moon for about two days, then with Starship for about one day.
Blue Moon will launch first on New Glenn and can stay in orbit up to 30 days, letting NASA check the lander before committing the crew; two astronauts will board it to test cabin systems and suit compatibility.
Starship will launch after Orion undocks from Blue Moon, but astronauts will not enter it; NASA instead plans to test maneuvering and communications while SpaceX still works toward capabilities needed for lunar missions.
Success on Artemis III would clear a major hurdle for Artemis IV, now targeted for 2028, when NASA plans to use Starship for the first crewed lunar landing in more than 50 years.
With Artemis III no longer a moon landing, is its $4 billion launch cost a wise investment or a pricey dress rehearsal?
After explosions rocked its partners' rockets, can NASA’s complex Artemis III mission still launch on time in 2027?
Artemis III’s New Mission: 2027 Low Earth Orbit Test Replaces Lunar Landing as NASA Faces Lander Delays and Diversity Criticism
Overview
NASA has shifted the Artemis III mission from a crewed lunar landing to a low Earth orbit (LEO) demonstration, now planned for no earlier than Summer 2027. This change is mainly due to significant delays by commercial partners, SpaceX and Blue Origin, in developing their Human Landing Systems. To ensure crew safety and mission success, NASA will use the LEO demonstration to thoroughly test and validate critical systems in a less risky environment. A key feature will be a dual-docking campaign, integrating hardware and software from both lander providers, marking an important step before attempting a lunar landing.