NASA plans three-rocket lunar test

NASA has finalized the operational details for a complex orbital test designed to qualify commercial lunar landers for future crewed missions. The agency presented the concept of operations on Oct. 23 during a two-hour press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The campaign involves three distinct launch vehicles: NASA's Space Launch System, SpaceX's Starship, and Blue Origin's New Glenn. Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons described the effort as likely the most complicated launch campaign ever undertaken. The mission aims to prove the viability of these vehicles before astronauts attempt a lunar landing.

The sequence begins with New Glenn carrying Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. The Space Launch System follows, launching the Orion spacecraft with four astronauts aboard. The crew includes NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.

Parsons stated that SLS will place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit ranging from 18 miles to 1,122 miles in altitude. The capsule will then maneuver to a circular orbit of approximately 345 miles. This adjustment is necessary to achieve thermal stability, as the low Earth orbit environment is harsher than the deep space conditions for which Orion was originally designed.

The crew will spend two days inspecting Orion systems before rendezvousing with Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. The two spacecraft will remain docked for two days, allowing the crew to evaluate environmental controls, life support systems, and atmospheric pressure retention. Mission Control will also test emergency scenarios and dual-vehicle control protocols during this period.

Starship is scheduled to launch around Flight Day 6, carrying a specially built docking adapter. The 171-foot upper stage will meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at an altitude of 237 miles. This encounter will last roughly two hours. The crew will not enter Starship, but the docking will provide data on forces between the vehicles.

After undocking from Starship, the mission will continue for another six to nine days before the crew performs a parachute-aided ocean splashdown. The nominal duration is 14 days, though the window could extend to 17 days. The crew will complete tasks such as evaluating survival suits and conducting health assessments, which were not performed during the 10-day Artemis II flyby in April.

The results of this trial will inform the Artemis IV mission, planned for 2028. Artemis IV aims to land astronauts near the moon's south pole, the first crewed lunar touchdown since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA has not yet selected which lander will fly that mission. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is preserving options to give both partners the best chance at readiness. He noted that both providers are planning lunar landing missions in 2028.

The launch date for Artemis III remains unconfirmed. NASA is targeting the summer of next year, but Isaacman told employees in an internal memo last month that the mission was approximately 90 days behind schedule. Parsons identified the lunar lander supply chain as a major challenge. Isaacman said the team is moving with real speed and purpose to address these issues.