During a lengthy news conference, NASA laid out the revised architecture for the first time in detail, confirming previously reported changes. The plan calls for SpaceX's Starship lunar lander to dock with the Orion spacecraft in high-Earth orbit before the combined vehicle transits to the Moon. For Blue Origin, the revised architecture includes four launches of the New Glenn rocket, with no spacecraft-to-spacecraft refuelings required. The Blue Origin plan also allows for the possibility of its Blue Moon lander rendezvousing with Orion in low-lunar orbit. NASA also noted the updated plan resolves a long-standing issue with the Orion spacecraft, though details of that fix were not elaborated.
NASA Updates Lunar Lander Plans, Sets Artemis Return for 2028
Revised architecture includes docking in high-Earth orbit for Starship, four New Glenn launches for Blue Origin
NASA on Friday provided a detailed overview of its updated plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface as soon as 2028 as part of the Artemis program, outlining significant changes to the mission architecture for SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander.
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How it's landing
So one of the interesting things that came out today was SLS + Orion getting taller. Centaur V is getting 50% more propellent, and then a kick stage might be added underneath the service module for lunar orbit injection. I'm trying to think what the kick stage might be based on. It could be as simple as a stripped down service module without the power and panels and just one engine. SpaceX already has the ISS boost kit that fits inside dragon's trunk, it might fit the bill, especially with a Super Draco. Impulse might be able to adapt one of their space tugs to this role. Any other ideas?
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Analysis
Why This Matters
- The updated architecture represents a major step toward returning humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo, with a target of 2028.
- The changes, particularly the high-Earth orbit docking and elimination of refueling for Blue Origin, could affect costs, timelines, and competition between the two contractors.
- The resolution of the Orion issue removes a significant technical hurdle for the Artemis program.
Background
The Artemis program aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface, including the first woman and the next man, and establish a long-term presence. The revised plans come after years of development and testing of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion capsule, and commercial landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA previously selected both companies to develop human landing systems under separate contracts.
Key Perspectives
SpaceX (Starship): Under the revised plan, the Orion spacecraft will dock with Starship in high-Earth orbit before the combined stack travels to the Moon, a change from earlier concepts that involved orbital refueling or separate rendezvous in lunar orbit. Blue Origin (Blue Moon): The mission architecture calls for four launches of the New Glenn rocket, without propellant transfers between spacecraft in orbit. The lander may instead rendezvous with Orion in low-lunar orbit.
What to Watch
- Whether the 2028 target holds as development and testing progress for Starship, New Glenn, and the Blue Moon lander.
- Any further details on the Orion issue that NASA said has been resolved.
- Possible schedule or cost impacts from the revised docking and launch architecture for both contractors.
Sources
Checked
10 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 8 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedNASA set the Artemis return to the lunar surface for 2028.Ars Technica - All content: “NASA on Friday provided a detailed overview of how it plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface, as soon as 2028, as part of its Artemis Program.”
- SupportedNASA provided a detailed overview of its lunar-return plans on Friday.Ars Technica - All content: “During a lengthy news conference NASA on Friday provided a detailed overview of how it plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface, as soon as 2028, as part of its Artemis Program.”
- SupportedThe plans are for returning astronauts to the lunar surface as soon as 2028 as part of Artemis.Ars Technica - All content: “NASA on Friday provided a detailed overview of how it plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface, as soon as 2028, as part of its Artemis Program.”
- SupportedNASA outlined substantial changes to the Starship and Blue Origin lander mission architectures.Ars Technica - All content: “this marked the first time NASA had laid them out in detail and acknowledged some substantial changes in the architecture.”
- SupportedNASA laid out the revised architecture in detail for the first time, and the changes had been reported previously.Ars Technica - All content: “Although much of the information behind these plans has been previously reported in Ars Technica and elsewhere, this marked the first time NASA had laid them out in detail”
- SupportedThe revised plan calls for Starship to dock with Orion in high-Earth orbit before the trip to the Moon.Ars Technica - All content: “the revised plan calls for the Orion spacecraft to dock with the Starship lunar lander in high-Earth orbit before transiting to the Moon.”
- SupportedBlue Origin’s revised architecture includes four New Glenn launches.Ars Technica - All content: “for Blue Origin, the mission architecture includes four launches of the New Glenn rocket”
- SupportedThe Blue Origin architecture requires no spacecraft-to-spacecraft refuelings.Ars Technica - All content: “the mission architecture includes four launches of the New Glenn rocket, but no spacecraft-to-spacecraft refuelings.”
- SupportedThe Blue Origin plan allows Blue Moon to rendezvous with Orion in low-lunar orbit.Ars Technica - All content: “the Blue Origin plans allows for the possibility of its Blue Moon lander rendezvousing with Orion in low-Lunar orbit.”
- Partly supportedNASA noted that the updated plan resolves a long-standing Orion issue, without elaborating on the fix.NASA: “NASA is working to modify Orion to enable Starship to push it to the Moon.”