NASA Recasts Artemis III as an Earth-Orbit Rehearsal for SpaceX and Blue Origin Landers

NASA plans to use Artemis III in 2027 as a major rehearsal for future crewed Moon landings, flying test versions of the SpaceX and Blue Origin human landing systems in low Earth orbit rather than descending to the lunar surface. The mission will require three of the world's most powerful rockets to launch in rapid succession and will include two separate rendezvous and docking operations with Orion. NASA describes it as one of the most complex and ambitious missions it has ever undertaken.

Before astronauts descend to the lunar surface in 2028, teams on Earth and in space will use Artemis III to practice rendezvous and docking between Orion and commercial human landing systems. NASA is working with two U.S. companies to develop the spacecraft that will eventually carry astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface. During Artemis III, SpaceX and Blue Origin will each fly test articles of the landers they are developing, launched on commercial rockets, while the Artemis III astronauts travel to low Earth orbit aboard Orion on NASA's SLS rocket.

Each provider has taken a different approach. SpaceX intends to fly Starship Version 3, currently being built and tested, which will serve as the foundation for the future Starship HLS. A docking system will be added to the nose of the 171-foot spacecraft so teams can study how Orion and the Starship test lander behave when connected. Astronauts will not enter the Starship test lander. Blue Origin will test the crew cabin intended for its human landing system, based on the current Blue Moon Mark 2 architecture, including major avionics, flight software, and control systems. As many as two Artemis III astronauts, wearing orange Orion crew survival system suits, will open the hatch and enter the Blue Origin test lander. Blue Origin will also carry an instrumented lunar surface spacesuit mass simulator to collect real-time data on conditions inside the cabin.

Steve Creech, program manager for the Human Landing System Program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, said SpaceX and Blue Origin have put forward a list of aggressive objectives and goals intended to complement upcoming uncrewed demonstration missions at the Moon so NASA can gain understanding and confidence in the spacecraft and launch vehicles prior to a crewed landing. Jeremy Parsons, Artemis program manager, called the mission a highly choreographed dance with a demanding launch sequence across multiple launch pads.

Because the mission stays in Earth orbit rather than traveling to the Moon, all three rockets will have more launch opportunities than a lunar flight would allow, and each will reach the required altitude with a single launch. Future crewed lunar missions will use what NASA calls a dual launch campaign, in which a commercial lander is positioned in orbit before Orion arrives on SLS. Artemis III gives NASA and its partners an opportunity to practice parts of that process. Information from the mission, together with data from future uncrewed demonstrations, will help NASA improve astronaut safety.

Blue Origin's test lander is scheduled to launch first, capable of remaining in space for as long as 30 days to allow orbital checkouts before SLS and Orion launch from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. After Blue Origin completes its rendezvous and docking tests and the crew has launched, SpaceX will send its Starship test article into orbit to rendezvous with Orion for the second phase of testing. Orion will remain in a circular orbit throughout, then return the astronauts to Earth for a planned splashdown.