Three Rockets, 14 Days: Moon Lander Trial

NASA officials outlined a high-risk orbital test on Friday that will determine whether commercial landers are ready for crewed lunar missions. The plan, presented at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, relies on a specific sequence of three heavy-lift rockets to validate hardware before astronauts attempt a landing on the moon. This mission is a prerequisite for Artemis IV, which targets a south pole landing in 2028.

The sequence begins with Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket carrying the Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) follows, launching the four-person crew aboard the Orion capsule. The final vehicle is SpaceX’s Starship, which will launch with a specialized docking adapter. Program manager Jeremy Parsons described the campaign as likely the most complicated launch operation ever undertaken.

The crew consists of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. After launch, SLS will place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit ranging from 18 miles to 1,122 miles in altitude. Parsons explained that Orion will then adjust to a 345-mile orbit to manage thermal stress, a condition more severe in low Earth orbit than in deep space.

The crew will spend two days checking Orion systems before meeting Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. During two days docked, the astronauts will enter the lander to test environmental controls and life support. Teams will also verify atmospheric pressure, test emergency scenarios, and evaluate dual-vehicle control capabilities with Mission Control.

Starship is scheduled to launch around Flight Day 6. Its 171-foot upper stage will rendezvous with Orion on Flight Day 8 at approximately 237 miles altitude. This encounter will last roughly two hours, and the crew will not enter the Starship vehicle. The primary goal is to collect data on docking forces and the mechanical interaction between the two vehicles.

After undocking from Starship, the mission continues for six to nine days before a parachute-aided ocean splashdown. The nominal duration is 14 days, though it could extend to 17 days. The crew will complete tasks left over from the Artemis II flyby in April, including evaluating survival suits, conducting health assessments, and running technology demonstrations.

The results of this trial will inform which lander flies the 2028 Artemis IV mission. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the agency is keeping options open to ensure both partners have the best chance at readiness. He noted that NASA has no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before data and schedules require it. Parsons confirmed that both providers are planning lunar landing missions for 2028.

The two potential profiles differ significantly. With Blue Origin, Orion would meet the lander in lunar orbit. With SpaceX, Starship would likely dock with Orion in Earth orbit and propel the capsule toward the moon. Isaacman stated, "We have no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before the data and schedule compels us to do so."

The launch date for Artemis III remains undetermined. NASA is targeting summer 2027, but Isaacman told employees in an internal memo last month that the mission is about 90 days behind schedule. Parsons identified the lunar lander supply chain as a major challenge, though he and Isaacman expressed confidence in resolving the issues. Isaacman said, "We're moving with real speed and purpose right now."