Scheduled for liftoff in 2025, NASA’s Artemis II will usher in a new era of lunar exploration with its crewed mission orbiting the Moon. This critical step paves the way for the Artemis program’s first Moon landing in 2026.
A key player in this mission is SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS). This spacecraft will ferry astronauts from the orbiting Orion capsule down to the lunar surface, acting as their lunar abode for a week before they return to Orion for the journey home.
The success of Artemis hinges heavily on the timely development of the HLS. Recent progress includes a successful April evaluation where veteran astronauts tested the lander’s compatibility with the new spacesuits at SpaceX’s California facilities.
Their feedback on the layout, design, and maneuverability within the lander will be crucial for optimizing both the HLS and the AxEMU suits for future lunar missions.
A crucial test has greenlit the design for Artemis III’s living quarters, ensuring enough space for vital tasks during the mission. This historic lunar voyage will see a crew of four make the journey, including the first woman and person of color to walk on the Moon’s surface.
Launching from Kennedy Space Center on the mighty Space Launch System rocket, the Orion spacecraft will reach a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit around the Moon. There, a pre-deployed SpaceX lander awaits, ready to transport the astronauts down to the lunar South Pole, a region brimming with potential resources like water ice.
Following their exploration, the crew will board the Orion for its fiery return through Earth’s atmosphere, ultimately splashing down in the Pacific Ocean for retrieval by waiting U.S. Coast Guard and Navy teams.
