NASA maps out 14-day moon test using three rockets and two landers
The agency detailed a complex orbital campaign involving Blue Origin and SpaceX vehicles to verify safety systems before crewed lunar landings.
By Petra Murphy ·
NASA released a detailed operational plan for the Artemis III mission, a test flight designed to verify commercial moon landers before astronauts attempt a lunar touchdown. The agency presented the concept of operations on October 23 during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida that lasted more than two hours. Program manager Jeremy Parsons described the campaign as likely the most complicated launch sequence ever undertaken.
The mission requires three separate rocket launches from the Space Coast. Blue Origin's New Glenn will launch first, carrying its Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) will follow, launching the Orion spacecraft with a four-person crew. SpaceX's Starship is scheduled to launch around Flight Day 6 with a specialized docking adapter attached to its upper stage.
The crew consists of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. SLS will place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit with an altitude ranging from 18 miles to 1,122 miles. The capsule will then adjust to a stable orbit at approximately 345 miles altitude to manage thermal stress, a condition different from the deep space environment for which it was designed.
The astronauts will spend two days inspecting Orion systems before docking with Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. During two days of docked operations, the crew will enter the lander to test environmental controls, life support, and atmospheric pressure. They will also run emergency scenarios and evaluate dual-vehicle control capabilities for Mission Control. The crew will remain docked with Blue Moon until the Starship upper stage arrives.
Starship is expected to meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at an altitude of roughly 237 miles. This encounter will last approximately two hours, during which the crew will not enter the vehicle but will collect data on docking forces and vehicle interaction. After undocking from Starship, the mission will continue for another six to nine days, concluding with a parachute-aided ocean splashdown. The nominal mission duration is 14 days, though it could extend to 17 days.
The test aims to prepare for Artemis IV, a mission planned to land astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2028. That would mark the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA has not selected which lander will fly the 2028 mission. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated the agency is keeping both options open to ensure readiness, noting there is no intention to drop a viable path before data and schedules require it. Parsons confirmed both providers are targeting 2028 for lunar landing missions, with Blue Origin proposing a lunar orbit rendezvous and SpaceX proposing a deep space rendezvous.
A specific launch date for Artemis III has not been set. NASA is targeting the summer of 2027, but Isaacman told employees in a memo last month that the mission is running 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 the team is moving with speed and purpose to meet the timeline.
