Tag

Artemis 3

All articles tagged with #artemis 3

space2 months ago

SpaceX Advances Lunar Missions and Starlink Milestones

SpaceX is exploring a simplified approach to its Artemis 3 moon mission, aiming to accelerate lunar exploration using its Starship vehicle, amidst ongoing development and competitive race with China. The company is working on both the core Starship rocket and a lunar lander upper stage, with significant milestones achieved and plans for further testing in 2026. SpaceX emphasizes its commitment to supporting NASA's goal of establishing a sustained human presence on the moon, potentially using Starship for the entire mission.

space3 months ago

NASA Panel Flags Potential Years-Long Delay for Starship Lunar Lander

NASA safety advisers warn that SpaceX's Starship lunar lander may face years-long delays, potentially impacting the Artemis 3 moon landing planned for 2027, due to challenges in demonstrating cryogenic propellant transfer and ongoing development issues. Despite SpaceX's achievements in launch operations, broader program uncertainties and schedule risks for Artemis 3 and beyond are raising concerns about mission timelines.

space-exploration1 year ago

NASA and SpaceX Unveil 2026 Moon Landing Plans with Starship

NASA and SpaceX are collaborating to land astronauts on the Moon in 2026 using a modified SpaceX Starship rocket. The Artemis 3 mission will involve the Starship Human Landing System (HLS) transporting two astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back, with refueling occurring in low Earth orbit. SpaceX plans to test this refueling maneuver by 2025. The mission will also involve the Orion spacecraft, which will carry four astronauts to lunar orbit, where two will transfer to the Starship HLS for the lunar landing. An uncrewed test landing is planned before the crewed mission.

space-exploration1 year ago

SpaceX Preps for 5th Starship Flight Amid FAA Scrutiny and Design Tweaks

SpaceX successfully test-fired its Super Heavy booster on July 15, ahead of the fifth integrated flight test of the Starship vehicle. This upcoming flight is the most ambitious yet and aims to build on the success of previous launches. The booster, which is part of NASA's Artemis 3 mission, is designed to be fully reusable and will attempt a controlled return to the launch pad. The next launch is tentatively scheduled for early August.

space-exploration1 year ago

"NASA Conducts Extensive Testing of 200 Docking Scenarios for Artemis 3 Mission"

NASA, in collaboration with SpaceX, has conducted over 200 docking tests between the Starship landing module and the NASA orbiting spacecraft for the Artemis 3 mission, aiming to validate the computer models of the lunar landing module docking system. The tests involved various approach angles and speeds, demonstrating the Starship system's capability for a 'soft capture' while acting as an active docking mechanism, laying the groundwork for long-term scientific exploration on the Moon.

space2 years ago

NASA Worried Starship Issues Could Delay Moon Landing

NASA is concerned that the lunar lander version of SpaceX's Starship vehicle will not be ready in time for the Artemis 3 mission in late 2025, given the amount of work needed to get the vehicle ready. Each Starship lander mission requires launching the Starship lander itself as well as several "tanker" Starships to fuel the lander in Earth orbit before it goes to the moon. SpaceX will carry out an uncrewed Starship lunar landing, and also must demonstrate cryogenic fluid transfer in Earth orbit before Artemis 3.

space2 years ago

Lunar Orbiter Spots Potential Artemis 3 Landing Spot.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured a stunning image of the Malapert massif region near the Moon's lunar south pole, which is one of several possible locations for the Artemis 3 landing site. The massif formed about four billion years ago and is associated with the South Pole-Aitken Basin. LRO played a key role in the selection of these candidate landing sites, and Artemis 3 is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2025. The proposed landing site appears just above the "5000 m" annotation, and the sheer grandeur of this region makes it a prime candidate, but safety will be a top priority for NASA.