NASA Details Three-Rocket Artemis III Test to Vet Moon Landers
The 14-day mission requires three separate launches and will test Blue Origin and SpaceX hardware before a potential 2028 landing.
By Thomas Obasi ·
NASA revealed the operational framework for Artemis III on Oct. 23 during a two-hour press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plan involves a complex series of tests designed to validate commercial lunar landers before astronauts attempt a landing on the moon.
Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons described the effort as likely the most complicated launch campaign ever undertaken. The mission relies on three distinct rocket systems launching from Florida's Space Coast: NASA's Space Launch System, SpaceX's Starship, and Blue Origin's New Glenn.
The sequence begins with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket carrying the Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. NASA's SLS will subsequently launch the Orion spacecraft with a four-person crew. The astronauts are Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio from NASA, and Luca Parmitano from the European Space Agency.
Parsons explained that SLS will place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit with altitudes ranging from 18 miles to 1,122 miles. The capsule will then maneuver to a stable orbit at approximately 345 miles. This step is primarily to manage thermal stability, as Orion is designed for deep space and faces harsher thermal conditions in low Earth orbit.
The crew will spend two days verifying Orion systems before docking with Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. During the next two days, the astronauts will enter the lander to evaluate environmental controls and life support. Teams will also test emergency scenarios, dual-vehicle control, and Mission Control procedures.
SpaceX's Starship is scheduled to launch around Flight Day 6 with a specialized docking adapter. The 171-foot upper stage will meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at roughly 237 miles. This encounter will last about two hours, during which the crew will not enter Starship. The test aims to gather data on docking forces and vehicle interaction.
Following undocking from Starship, the mission will continue for six to nine days before the Orion capsule splashes down in the ocean using parachutes. The nominal duration is 14 days, though it could extend to 17. The crew will also test survival suits, a task missed during the April Artemis II flyby, and conduct health assessments and technology demonstrations.
Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that NASA is preserving options to give both partners the best chance at readiness for the 2028 Artemis IV landing near the moon's south pole. He noted that NASA has no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before data and schedules compel a decision. Parsons added that both providers are planning lunar landing missions in 2028. The launch date for Artemis III remains unclear, with NASA targeting summer next year, though Isaacman noted the mission is currently about 90 days behind schedule.
