NASA fleshes out Artemis III, the Moon mission that won't go to the Moon
SpaceX and Blue Origin may yet get a role in low Earth orbit rehearsal, readiness permitting
Artemis III is currently targeted for late 2027, and NASA has shared some of its plans for the mission, though exactly how SpaceX and Blue Origin will participate remains unclear.
The mission to low Earth orbit will be launched with a "spacer" rather than the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) that would otherwise be used on lunar voyahes to send the Orion capsule to the Moon. According to NASA, the crew will spend more time in the Orion capsule than the Artemis II astronauts to further test the spacecraft's life support system. NASA will also demonstrate the docking system alongside an upgraded heat shield.
As for the lunar lander, NASA has remained tight-lipped, only saying that operations would be "informed by Blue Origin and SpaceX capabilities." However, the agency stated that astronauts could potentially...
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