SpaceX Artemis 3 Landing System Ready For Moon Mission With NASA

Space News ,World :-   In the quest for a successful moon mission with astronauts on board, practice becomes the key to perfection. Recently, SpaceX and NASA joined forces to complete over 200 docking scenarios using the Starship hardware. This hardware is an essential part of the landing system that will bring astronauts to the lunar surface during the Artemis 3 mission, expected no earlier than 2026.

Engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center dedicated 10 days to testing the Starship lander hardware and NASA's Orion orbiter, designed by Lockheed Martin. The tests involved various approach angles and speeds to validate the computer models of the moon lander's docking system, using full-scale hardware.

The Artemis 3 moon landing involves two spacecraft: the Orion capsule, responsible for ferrying astronauts to lunar orbit, and the Starship lander, tasked with transporting astronauts to the moon's south pole. NASA's long-term goal is to establish a permanent settlement in this region to utilize its potential water ice for fueling and other mission requirements.

During testing, Starship played an active docking role, acting as a "chaser" to the Orion target docking system. The focus was on ensuring that SpaceX's soft capture system could extend to Orion, while Orion's passive system stayed retracted. The connection between the two hardware pieces involved "latches and other mechanisms," according to NASA officials.

Despite Starship not yet reaching Earth orbit, its lunar docking system draws on the flight heritage of the Dragon 2 docking system used in International Space Station missions. In future missions post-Artemis 3, Starship is set to dock with NASA's Gateway space station alongside Orion for astronaut transfer.

SpaceX, selected as the winner of the Human Landing System (HLS) contract for NASA's Artemis program in 2021, faced challenges as competitors Blue Origin and Dynetics filed protests citing concerns with the award process. Although the protests were rejected by the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Senate directed NASA to choose a second company. Eventually, Blue Origin was selected for its Blue Moon lander system.

Starship underwent two test flights in 2023 to reach Earth orbit, but both were unsuccessful. A recent investigation into the November launch attempt was closed by the Federal Aviation Administration, and SpaceX is now working on the launch license for its third attempt.

The Artemis 3 landing, along with the Artemis 2 round-the-moon mission, faced delays in January due to technical issues, including Starship delays. Artemis 3 is now expected to land in 2026 at the earliest, a year later than planned, while Artemis 2 is set to launch nine months later in September 2025.

Concerns about SpaceX's progress with Starship have been ongoing for NASA. In June 2023, NASA associate administrator Jim Free emphasized that SpaceX needs to successfully complete "a significant number of launches" before receiving approval for Artemis.

In a recent update, NASA highlighted that SpaceX has achieved "more than 30 HLS specific milestones," covering aspects from power generation and guidance systems to propulsion, life support, and protection from space's harsh environment. This collaboration between NASA and SpaceX underscores their commitment to overcoming challenges and ensuring the success of future moon missions.