NASA commits 14 days and three rockets to qualify moon landers

NASA’s Artemis III mission requires the agency to fly three separate heavy-lift rockets in a single campaign to validate commercial lunar lander hardware. The plan, detailed during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center on October 23, centers on a 14-day orbital trial designed to qualify systems before astronauts attempt a lunar touchdown in 2028. Program manager Jeremy Parsons described the upcoming launch campaign as likely the most complicated ever undertaken by the agency.

The operation relies on three distinct vehicles: Blue Origin’s New Glenn, NASA’s Space Launch System, and SpaceX’s Starship. New Glenn is scheduled to launch first, placing Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. SLS will then launch the four-person crew, including NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, and European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, aboard the Orion spacecraft. SLS will initially place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit with a perigee of 18 miles and an apogee of 1,122 miles. The capsule will subsequently maneuver to a circular orbit at approximately 345 miles to manage thermal loads, a condition more severe in low Earth orbit than in deep space.

The crew will spend two days inspecting Orion systems before rendezvousing with Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. During the subsequent two days, astronauts will enter the lander to test environmental controls, life support systems, and pressure integrity. Ground control teams will also verify dual-vehicle control capabilities. Around Flight Day 6, Starship will launch with a specialized docking adapter. The 171-foot upper stage will meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at 237 miles for a two-hour encounter. Crew members will not enter Starship, but the docking maneuver will generate data on force profiles and vehicle interaction.

Following the undocking from Starship, the mission will continue for six to nine additional days before a parachute-assisted splashdown in the ocean. The nominal duration is 14 days, though the window may extend to 17 days. The crew will evaluate survival suits, a task missed during the April Artemis II flyby, and conduct health assessments and technology demonstrations. These results are intended to inform the Artemis IV mission, which plans to land astronauts near the moon’s south pole in 2028. NASA has not yet selected which lander will fly that mission, with both providers planning lunar landing attempts that year.

Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is preserving options to give both partners the best chance at readiness, noting that NASA has no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before data and schedule compel a decision. The launch date for Artemis III remains unclear, with NASA targeting the summer of 2027. However, an internal memo from Isaacman last month indicated the mission is approximately 90 days behind schedule. Parsons cited the lunar lander supply chain as a primary challenge, though both leaders expressed confidence in resolving the issues. Isaacman said, “We're moving with real speed and purpose right now.”