NASA to test Artemis III lander operations before Moon landing

NASA announced that Artemis III will launch in 2027 with astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. The 14-day mission will carry them in the Orion spacecraft into low Earth orbit, where the crew will test human landing systems developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX.

Blue Origin will launch a test version of the Blue Moon Mark 2 lander into a circular low Earth orbit approximately 273 miles (237 nautical miles) above Earth. The spacecraft can remain in orbit for up to 30 days. NASA will launch Orion on SLS from Kennedy Space Center in Florida only days after the Blue Moon launch and confirmation that the vehicle is ready for joint operations.

Orion will enter an elliptical Earth orbit of 18 x 1122 miles (16 x 975 nautical miles). It will then move to a circular orbit at about 345 miles (300 nautical miles) before approaching the Blue Moon test article. During the first two days of flight, the crew will check Orion’s systems and prepare for proximity operations, rendezvous and docking.

After docking with Blue Moon, astronauts will spend approximately two days evaluating the cabin environment, controls and life-support systems. They will open the hatch and enter the spacecraft. NASA and Blue Origin will assess software, guidance systems, communications systems and operating procedures in space.

SpaceX will launch a Starship Version 3 test article from Florida into a lower orbit at 206 nautical miles. Orion will rendezvous and dock with it in a test expected to last up to two hours. The crew will not enter Starship. NASA and SpaceX will evaluate controllability, communications, integrated software performance, and docking and undocking operations.

NASA said the mission will reduce risk and gain operational experience before astronauts land near the Moon’s South Pole in 2028. After the docking demonstrations, Orion will have up to five additional days in orbit for suit evaluations, docking sensor tests, acoustic and thermal measurements, human-factors assessments, science and technology demonstrations, and a health assessment study.