"SpaceX's Next Starship Launch to Include Crucial In-Flight Fuel Transfer Test"

SpaceX's upcoming third flight of the Starship vehicle may include a refueling test, according to a presentation by NASA's Lakiesha Hawkins. Off-Earth propellant transfer is seen as crucial for future exploration missions, such as establishing crewed outposts on the moon and Mars. NASA awarded SpaceX $53 million in 2020 to conduct a refueling trial in Earth orbit, involving the transfer of 11 tons of liquid oxygen between tanks inside a Starship vehicle. Starship has been selected by NASA as the first crewed lunar lander for the Artemis program, with a target of landing astronauts near the moon's south pole by 2025 or 2026.