NASA Will Rehearse Its 2028 Moon Landing In Orbit With SpaceX And Blue Origin

Before astronauts set foot on the lunar surface in 2028, NASA is planning a massive practise run in Earth’s orbit. Slated for 2027, the Artemis III demo mission will test how well commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin link up with NASA’s Orion spacecraft. It is a critical step to ensure everyone stays safe when real lunar landings begin.

Two American companies are building the vehicles that will eventually carry humans down to the Moon. For this 2027 test, both SpaceX and Blue Origin will fly prototype versions of their landers. The astronauts themselves will launch on NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, riding inside the Orion capsule.

Blue Origin will send up its Blue Moon test lander first. This craft features the exact life support systems and electronics needed for future flights. It will also carry a spacesuit simulator to monitor the cabin environment. Once in space, it can wait in orbit for up to 30 days. When the Orion spacecraft arrives, the two will connect, with Orion docking on the side of the Blue Moon lander. Two astronauts will then open the hatch and step inside to inspect the cabin.

After the Blue Origin test wraps up, SpaceX will launch its Starship Version 3 lander. The sheer size of this spacecraft requires a different approach, so Orion will dock directly to its nose. Astronauts will not go inside the Starship during this specific mission. Instead, the focus will be on testing communications, software, and how the two giant vehicles move together in space.

Getting all these pieces into space at the same time is no small feat. Three enormous rockets will launch in rapid succession from different pads. Jeremy Parsons, the Artemis programme manager at NASA, explained the challenge:

“Artemis III will be a highly choreographed dance with a demanding launch sequence across multiple launch pads and equally demanding mission operations for our ground and flight crews, making it one of the most complex and ambitious missions NASA has ever undertaken.”

The main goal right now is to sort out any software or hardware glitches before lives are on the line. Steve Creech, a programme manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, added:

“Each human landing system provider has taken a different approach to the Artemis III mission. Ultimately, 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 that we can gain both understanding and confidence in the spacecraft and launch vehicles prior to a crewed landing. The lander prototype designs will inform future development efforts and will continue to mature over the next year.”