NASA provides some details about Artemis III, but hard decisions remain
Summary
NASA announced that Artemis III will fly astronauts in Earth orbit in 2027, but they will not land on the Moon during this mission. Instead, NASA will test how astronauts connect with lunar lander vehicles developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin before future Moon landings.Key Facts
- Artemis III will launch four astronauts in the Orion spacecraft on top of the Space Launch System rocket.
- The mission will take place in low-Earth orbit to preserve a rocket stage for later Artemis missions.
- Astronauts will rendezvous with vehicles under development by SpaceX (Starship) and Blue Origin (Blue Moon Mark 2).
- It is unclear if astronauts will enter or fully test these landers during Artemis III.
- This mission aims to test the ability to dock and operate with lunar landers before actual Moon landings.
- NASA hopes to launch Artemis III by late 2027.
- The decision delays a Moon landing to focus on safer and more thorough testing of new spacecraft systems.
- NASA is coordinating with multiple private partners to integrate their technology into Artemis missions.
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