Three Rockets, Two Landers: NASA's 14-Day Orbital Test Plan
NASA outlined a complex sequence involving four astronauts and three different launch vehicles to validate hardware before a 2028 lunar landing.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
Four astronauts will spend up to 17 days in Earth orbit testing two rival lunar landers and three launch vehicles in a new NASA campaign. The agency released the detailed operations plan on Oct. 23 during a press conference at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission, designated Artemis III, is designed to prove commercial lander capabilities before the first crewed moon landing since 1972.
NASA program manager Jeremy Parsons described the operation as likely the most complicated launch campaign ever undertaken. It involves Blue Origin's New Glenn, NASA's Space Launch System, and SpaceX's Starship. All three rockets will launch from Florida's Space Coast. The sequence begins with New Glenn carrying the Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit.
The Space Launch System follows, delivering the four-person crew in the Orion capsule. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. Parsons explained that SLS will initially place Orion in a highly elliptical orbit ranging from 18 miles to 1,122 miles in altitude. The capsule will then adjust to a stable orbit of about 345 miles to manage thermal stress.
The crew will spend two days checking Orion's systems before meeting the Blue Moon lander on Flight Day 3 at an altitude of 273 miles. They will dock for two days to test environmental controls, life support, and emergency scenarios. Around Flight Day 6, SpaceX's Starship will launch with a docking adapter. This 171-foot upper stage will meet Orion on Flight Day 8 at about 237 miles. The crew will not enter Starship but will use the encounter to gather data on docking forces.
After undocking from Starship, the mission continues for another six to nine days. The nominal duration is 14 days, though it could extend to 17. The crew will evaluate survival suits, a task missed during the April Artemis II flyby, and conduct health assessments. The mission concludes with a parachute-assisted ocean splashdown.
NASA has not yet selected which lander will fly the Artemis IV mission, planned for 2028 near the moon's south pole. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is preserving options for both providers. He said, "We have no intention of surrendering a viable path to the surface before the data and schedule compels us to do so." Parsons noted that both companies are targeting 2028 for lunar landings, though their trajectories differ. Blue Origin's plan involves a lunar orbit rendezvous, while SpaceX's likely involves docking in Earth orbit.
The launch date for Artemis III remains uncertain. NASA is targeting summer 2027, but Isaacman told employees in a memo last month that the mission is about 90 days behind schedule. Parsons identified the lunar lander supply chain as a major challenge. Isaacman expressed confidence in the team's progress, stating, "We're moving with real speed and purpose right now."
