NASA outlines Artemis III schedule, lander plans and SLS testing progress
NASA confirmed the Artemis III crew and detailed preparations for the SLS rocket, Orion stack, and lunar lander launches, noting timelines for testing and potential launch vehicle options.
NASA announced the Artemis III crew, targeting a launch no earlier than summer 2027, and outlined how the mission will involve docking with both a Blue Origin and a SpaceX Starship lunar lander in low-Earth orbit. Program manager Jeremy Parsons said the Space Launch System’s mobile launcher is largely repaired, with most flame-hole welds expected to be finished by early July and booster stacking to begin that month.
Parsons described a planned “short-stack tanking” wet-dress rehearsal that will test cryogenic seals on the core stage before Orion is attached. He also noted that a metal spacer, serving as a second-stage simulator, is on schedule to arrive at Kennedy Space Center by December.
Regarding the Blue Origin lander, Parsons called the test article “between Mk 1 and Mk 2,” using the same crew module avionics and life-support system but with storable-propellant thrusters instead of cryogenic BE-7 engines. He confirmed the lander can launch on New Glenn’s 7×2 configuration and that alternative vehicles such as Vulcan or Falcon Heavy remain viable if launch-pad readiness becomes an issue.
Parsons emphasized that the Earth-orbit rendezvous test of the lander will reduce risk for future lunar landings, while the Starship test will focus on integrated stack-control and life-support performance in orbit, rather than carrying crew to the Moon.
The mission will operate in a circular orbit of about –33° inclination, targeting an altitude just below 250 nautical miles to balance launch flexibility with debris and radiation concerns. Both Blue Origin and Starship are capable of reaching this orbit with a single launch.
