NASA fleshes out Artemis III, the Moon mission that won't go to the Moon

"Artemis III is currently targeted for late 2027, and NASA has shared some of its plans for the mission, though exactly how SpaceX and Blue Origin will participate remains unclear. The mission to low Earth orbit will be launched with a "spacer" rather than the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) that would otherwise be used on lunar voyahes to send the Orion capsule to the Moon. According to NASA, the crew will spend more time in the Orion capsule than the Artemis II astronauts to further test the spacecraft's life support system."

"NASA will also demonstrate the docking system alongside an upgraded heat shield. As for the lunar lander, NASA has remained tight-lipped, only saying that operations would be "informed by Blue Origin and SpaceX capabilities." However, the agency stated that astronauts could potentially enter "at least one lander test article." There might also be an opportunity to evaluate the interfaces of Axiom's AxEMU spacesuit."

"There could, in theory, be three launches during the Artemis III mission: one for Orion, atop the SLS (the core stage of which is in NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building), with separate launches for SpaceX's Starship human landing system pathfinder and Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 landing system pathfinder. Without an ICPS, the European-built Orion service module will provide propulsion to circularize the spacecraft's orbit."

"Artemis III was supposed to mark a crewed return to the lunar surface, but was changed earlier this year to be a test of commercial lunar lander technologies in low Earth orbit. Jeremy Parsons of NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate called the development a "stepping stone" to a lunar landing, saying: "For the first time, NASA will coordinate a launch campaign involving multiple spacecraft integrating new capabilities into Artemis operat"

Artemis III is targeted for late 2027, with NASA sharing plans for a low Earth orbit rehearsal. The mission will launch Orion with a “spacer” instead of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, and the crew will spend more time in the Orion capsule to further test life support systems. NASA will demonstrate the docking system and an upgraded heat shield. The lunar lander role remains unspecified, with operations said to be informed by Blue Origin and SpaceX capabilities, and astronauts potentially entering at least one lander test article. Axiom’s AxEMU spacesuit interfaces may also be evaluated. The mission could involve three launches: Orion on SLS, plus separate Starship and Blue Moon Mark 2 pathfinder launches. European-built Orion service module propulsion will circularize the orbit.

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