NASA Maps Three-Rocket Sequence to Test Moon Lander Systems

NASA has detailed a complex orbital test mission that will require three separate heavy-lift rocket launches to validate commercial moon landers. The agency presented the operational plan on Oct. 23 during a two-hour press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission, designated Artemis III, serves as a precursor to Artemis IV, which is scheduled to land astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2028.

Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons described the upcoming campaign as likely the most complicated launch sequence ever undertaken. It involves three distinct vehicles launching from Florida's Space Coast: Blue Origin's New Glenn, NASA's Space Launch System, and SpaceX's Starship. This multi-vehicle approach is designed to test how different lander architectures interact with the Orion crew capsule in Earth orbit.

The sequence begins with New Glenn, which will place Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. SLS will then launch separately to carry a four-person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft. The astronauts are NASA's Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano.

According to Parsons, SLS will initially place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit with apogees reaching 1,122 miles and perigees at 18 miles. The capsule will then adjust its trajectory to a stable orbit at approximately 345 miles. Parsons explained that this adjustment is necessary for thermal stability, as Orion was engineered for the deep space environment and faces different thermal stresses in low Earth orbit.

The crew will spend two days conducting system checks before docking with Blue Moon on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. During the two days they remain docked, the astronauts will open the hatch and enter the lander. They will evaluate environmental controls, life support systems, and atmospheric pressure retention. The team will also test emergency scenarios and dual-vehicle control protocols.

Around Flight Day 6, Starship is expected to launch with a specially built docking adapter attached to its nose. The 171-foot upper stage will meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at an altitude of about 237 miles. This encounter will last approximately two hours. Parsons noted that the crew will not enter Starship, but the docking process will generate data on structural forces and vehicle interaction.

After undocking from Starship, the mission will continue for another six to nine days before a parachute-aided ocean splashdown. The nominal mission duration is 14 days, though it could extend to 17 days. The crew will evaluate survival suits, a task not completed during the 10-day Artemis II lunar flyby in April, and perform health assessments and technology demonstrations.

NASA has not yet selected which lander will fly the crewed lunar landing in 2028. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is preserving options to give both partners the best chance at readiness. He added that NASA has no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before the data and schedule compel it to do so. Both providers are planning lunar landing missions for that year, with different orbital profiles: Blue Origin's plan involves a lunar orbit rendezvous, while SpaceX's plan involves Starship docking in Earth orbit to propel the crew toward the moon.

The launch date for Artemis III remains uncertain. NASA is targeting the summer of 2027, but Isaacman told employees in an internal memo last month that the mission was about 90 days behind schedule. Parsons identified the lunar lander supply chain as a major challenge, though both he and Isaacman expressed confidence in resolving the issues. Isaacman said the team is moving with real speed and purpose right now.