All articles tagged with #artemis iii
NASA has released new engineering footage from the Artemis II launch, showcasing the Space Launch System's power. The mission, which successfully tested the Orion spacecraft's life support and heat shield, has concluded, with crew members transitioning to emeritus status as NASA prepares for Artemis III in 2027.
Artemis III advances with four RS-25 engines installed on the core stage at Kennedy Space Center, while a Long March 6C upper stage fragments in orbit after a rideshare mission. The week also features European startup funding (PLD Space, HyImpulse) and Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch window, NASA weighing bulk launch buys via a new Commercial Access to Space office, Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 maiden flight, Ariane 6’s first GTO mission with Meteosat-14, India’s EOS-05, NASA’s Roman Space Telescope launch, and SpaceX preparing Starship for a Starlink V3 deployment after a Super Heavy static fire.
A Seattle startup, Interlune, aims to mine helium-3 on the moon, a prospect valued at about $20 quadrillion, with experimental digs planned as soon as 2028. The plan involves robotic extraction and deep cryogenic distillation to isolate helium-3 from lunar regolith, then returning it to Earth. Interlune has secured funding and a NASA contract, and seeks Australian collaboration, as other nations like China race to access lunar resources. While skeptics dismiss the idea as “moonshine,” the company argues the economics and partnerships could make lunar helium-3 mining feasible.
Longtime NASA astronaut Mike Fincke is stepping away from the agency months after a medical emergency aboard the International Space Station forced Crew-11 to end its mission early; Fincke, who joined NASA in 1996, flew four space missions, logged 549 days in orbit and completed nine spacewalks. NASA did not announce his next move, but Fincke said he remains committed to exploration and will help prepare the next generation as Artemis III crew details—including Luca Parmitano as pilot—are announced amid ongoing programs.
NASA’s Artemis III will be its most complex flight yet: four astronauts aboard Orion on an SLS rocket will rendezvous with two private lunar landers—SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon—in low Earth orbit over about two weeks. The mission requires cross-pad launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral, multiple in‑orbit docking checks, and an EVA-style test aboard Blue Moon’s lander before Orion returns to Earth with a Pacific splashdown. The objectives test critical interoperability and systems ahead of Artemis IV’s crewed lunar landing, while stressing coordination among NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin and paving the way for expanded lunar operations in 2028.
NASA is accelerating Artemis III prep for a 2027 launch, with the Space Launch System core stage being assembled at Kennedy Space Center, RS-25 engines and boosters arriving and being installed, and the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield and service module being prepared as monthly launch simulations proceed; Artemis III will send four astronauts to low Earth orbit to rendezvous with two commercial lunar landers, a crucial stepping stone toward Artemis IV’s 2028 lunar landing, while related hardware such as the LOX tank for Artemis IV advances.
NASA has begun stacking the Space Launch System for Artemis III at Kennedy Space Center, with a solid rocket booster segment delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The two SRBs, plus the core stage, will provide about 7.2 million pounds of liftoff thrust, delivering more than 75% of the rocket’s power. Artemis III, targeting a mid-to-late 2027 launch, will send four astronauts aboard Orion to rendezvous and dock with private lunar landers (Blue Moon and SpaceX’s Starship-based system) to test rendezvous and docking ahead of future lunar missions. The core stage arrived at the VAB in May without its engine section; the engine will be attached later. NASA aims to complete a wet dress rehearsal before year’s end as assembly continues.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Blue Origin for its rapid cleanup and transparency after the May New Glenn anomaly, with Plan A to launch the Mk.1 Endurance on New Glenn still aiming for a year-end flight, while NASA evaluates alternatives such as SpaceX's Falcon Heavy and ULA's Vulcan for Artemis III; Blue Origin is pursuing a faster return-to-flight without rebuilding the same pad, investigators pointing to the aft section as a likely root cause, and some officials remain cautious about timelines as progress is monitored into 2027.
NASA announced Artemis III's four-man crew, prompting social-media debate over female representation; NASA says the selection suits mission needs and training timelines for a 2027 low-Earth orbit test of lunar landers, with Artemis IV targeting a 2028 lunar landing, while advocates call for greater diversity in future crews.
Stoke Space completes proto-qualification of the Nova first-stage at Moses Lake with an eye to a late-2026 debut; NASA weighs Artemis III lander options (Blue Origin’s New Glenn, Vulcan, Falcon Heavy) after the pad incident; Isar Aerospace raises 270 million euros to scale Spectrum and reschedule its second launch; SpaceX readies for Friday’s IPO amid ongoing Starlink and Falcon 9 milestones; Ariane 6 upgrades with P160C boosters and there’s ongoing talk of offshore launch concepts and regulatory flexibilities for Amazon Leo.
NASA acknowledged criticism over Artemis III’s all-male crew, saying the selection reflected the testing-focused needs of the mission and that future Artemis crews will prioritize gender diversity, as the agency continues toward its goal of landing the first woman on the Moon.
NASA chief Jared Isaacman defended the Artemis III all-male crew, saying the selection was based on astronauts' experience, skills and availability amid online backlash; the four-person team — Randy Bresnik (commander), Luca Parmitano (pilot), Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio — brings a mix of test-pilot, engineering and medical expertise as Artemis III prepares to test rendezvous and docking in low-Earth orbit with SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers. NASA notes a broad leadership pipeline and ongoing efforts to include more women in future crews.
NASA confirmed Artemis III for 2027 and outlined a dual‑lander plan: the crew would dock in low Earth orbit with both a Blue Origin lunar lander and SpaceX Starship; SLS readiness is being boosted with a short-stack wet dress rehearsal and a spacer upper stage, while Blue Origin’s lander tests proceed with Mk1 configurations and BE‑7 engines. The mission targets a -33°, roughly 230–250 nautical mile circular orbit to enable orbital rendezvous tests and reduce risk, with flexibility to launch the lander on alternative rockets if needed.
NASA announced Artemis III's crew with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano as pilot; Europe will supply its third European Service Module to power Orion during an Earth-orbit test of docking and rendezvous ahead of a Moon landing. The crew also includes commander Randy Bresnik and lander specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas, with Bob Hines as backup. Parmitano, a two-time ISS veteran and spacewalker, will help validate systems and procedures, highlighting Europe's key role in Artemis.
NASA announced the Artemis III crew—Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, Luca Parmitano and Randy Bresnik—with Bob Heintz as backup, for a 2027 lunar mission that will practice in-space docking with landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX as a stepping stone to a future Moon landing.