Particle.news
Download on the App Store
11 ARTICLES
·
1h ago

NASA Weighs Faster Moon-Lander Plans as SpaceX Pitches Simplified Artemis Mission

NASA is reviewing acceleration proposals from SpaceX and Blue Origin to address schedule risk on Artemis III.

This rendering shows several versions of SpaceX's Starship on the lunar surface. (Courtesy/SpaceX)
Workers pressure wash the logo of NASA on the Vehicle Assembly Building before SpaceX will send two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station aboard its Falcon 9 rocket, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., May 19, 2020. REUTERS/Joe Skipper
Image
Image

Overview

  • The agency confirmed it received plans from both SpaceX and Blue Origin to speed Human Landing System work and said it will issue a broader industry RFI as a committee evaluates options.
  • Acting Administrator Sean Duffy has signaled he will reopen the Artemis III lander contract, pressing for approaches that can deliver a crewed lunar return sooner.
  • SpaceX says it has proposed a simplified mission architecture to shorten the timeline and improve crew safety, though the company has not released technical details.
  • SpaceX reports 49 completed HLS milestones and 11 integrated Starship test flights but has yet to demonstrate in-orbit propellant transfer, with long-duration and transfer tests now targeted for 2026.
  • Former NASA chiefs Jim Bridenstine and Charlie Bolden urged alternative or accelerated lander paths, as Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin outline concepts that could avoid complex in-space refueling.