NASA Discusses the Artemis III Mission of 2027 to Test Landers for Return to the Moon

As we reported in recent hours, the twelfth launch of Starship by SpaceX is expected no earlier than May 20 at 0:30 (Italian time). This is not just an important update for the U.S. company but also for lunar exploration, considering that Starship HLS is one of two lunar landers selected to bring humans back to the Moon (not before 2028). The second model is Blue Moon MK2 from Blue Origin, which is still under development. NASA has chosen a conservative approach compared to the original plans: Artemis III will be a test mission for docking between the Orion capsule and the lunar landers rather than a landing mission.

The space agency's plans are gradually taking shape with some new developments. Just a few days ago, we wrote how Artemis III could feature a 4K stream for the highlights of the docking, but this is not the only update released. According to a new official article, here's what we know about the mission.

Updates on the Artemis III Mission of 2027

First of all, we know that Artemis III will take place in 2027, but it is unclear when. Initially, it was suggested that it would occur in the middle of next year, but Jared Isaacman (administrator of the space agency) stated that he received assurances from SpaceX and Blue Origin that the lunar landers will be ready by the end of next year.

In the released article, no specific period is mentioned, so there remains uncertainty about when it will occur (possibly in the second half of 2027). The timeframe will likely be communicated in the coming months. The crew of four astronauts that will fly with Artemis III is also missing. The general purpose is to test at least one of the two lunar landers, preferably both, in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to avoid complications for Artemis IV and Artemis V, both scheduled for 2028, but with dates of launch that are far from clear.

As explained by the space agency, the mission will once again use the SLS rocket (Space Launch System) with an Orion spacecraft that will be launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with a crew of four members. It will be a launch similar, in some aspects, to the first two missions of the program while not venturing as far into space.

NASA clarified that, given the type of mission in LEO, the ICPS upper stage (interim cryogenic propulsion stage) will not be present but rather a 'passive' substitute to avoid modifying the overall structure of the vehicle. This choice will allow for 'saving' an ICPS upper stage for future lunar missions, reducing costs and postponing the debut of a new upper stage based on ULA's Centaur V. The mechanical support structure is under construction at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville and will be completed in the coming months.

Orion will utilize the ESM (European Service Module) for trajectory corrections. The main goal is to ensure that the spacecraft can perform docking with both lunar landers and, potentially, two crew members will be able to enter one of the two units. This point needs to be clarified since the lunar landers may be prototypes that are not fully operational and outfitted.

Another update is that the crew of Artemis III will spend more time in space aboard the Orion spacecraft compared to Artemis II (which lasted about 10 days). This will allow for a better evaluation of the life support system while reducing risks for astronauts as they will be in closer proximity to Earth and therefore have greater possibilities for return in case of failures.

The Orion capsule of this mission will use an updated heat shield that should reduce the issues observed during Artemis I and which were mitigated with a new reentry profile for Artemis II. The reentry speed from a LEO mission will still be lower than that of a lunar mission, but in view of future Artemis missions, it will provide useful insights for greater flexibility in operations.

As it stands now, it is still unclear whether the AxEMU space suits by Axiom Space will be tested during Artemis III. It will all depend on whether the company delivers at least one sample for tests in the space environment and if the interface with the lander is available. Alternatively, the new space suits will be tested aboard the ISS. As reported earlier, NASA is seeking a commercial communication system because it will not be able to use the Deep Space Network (designed for communications over greater distances) while several Cubesats from international partners might be released during the Low Earth Orbit mission.