Key facts
- NASA announced the crew for the Artemis III mission, targeting a summer 2027 launch.
- The mission plans include docking with both Blue Origin and SpaceX lunar landers in low-Earth orbit.
- Updates were provided on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with booster stacking expected in July.
- A 'lander test article' from Blue Origin will be used, featuring storable propellants.
- NASA is evaluating alternative launch vehicles for the Blue Origin lander, including Vulcan and Falcon Heavy.
NASA has provided further details on its Artemis III mission, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon no earlier than summer 2027. During a presentation following the crew announcement, officials discussed plans for the mission's lunar landers and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Jeremy Parsons, NASA's Artemis program manager, confirmed that modifications to the mobile launcher following the Artemis II launch are nearly complete, with stacking of boosters expected in July. He also noted that redesigned cryogenic seals for the tail service mast umbilicals are being implemented, and a short-stack tanking or wet dress rehearsal will precede the stacking of the Orion spacecraft. A 'spacer' stage simulator, crucial for the SLS configuration without an ICPS upper stage, is in production and expected at Kennedy Space Center by December.
Regarding the lunar landers, Parsons described the Blue Origin vehicle for Artemis III as a 'lander test article' that will utilize storable propellants rather than cryogenics. This lander is designed to fly on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, though NASA is also assessing alternative launch vehicles such as Vulcan or Falcon Heavy. The BE-7 engine, critical for Blue Origin's lunar landing capabilities, has undergone extensive testing. The mission architecture includes an Earth orbit rendezvous for the lander test article.