NASA's Artemis 3 mission will launch three spacecraft on three different heavy-lift rockets from Florida within two weeks. First, Blue Origin will launch the New Glenn with a test version of its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander into low Earth orbit, about 273 miles above Earth. Then NASA will launch the Space Launch System (SLS) with the Orion crew capsule, carrying astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, who will rendezvous with the lander. The crew will test atmosphere, pressure, software, flight-control systems, and life-support functions before returning to Orion. The final phase involves SpaceX launching Starship version 3, which will dock with Orion for a shorter two-hour rendezvous. The mission demonstrates Orion's ability to interface with two different commercial lander architectures. NASA is also evaluating new Orion Crew Survival System suits for deep-space missions. Artemis 3 is reportedly three months behind schedule, with a best-case launch in summer 2027.
The mission was originally planned as the first crewed moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, but under the overhauled Artemis program, it now focuses on testing landers. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the delay in an agency-wide memo. A successful mission would support two lunar landing opportunities for Artemis 4 in 2028.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing