.svg) | |
| Program overview | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Organization | NASA and partners:ESA,JAXA,DLR,UKSA,ASI,ISA,MBRSC, andCSA |
| Purpose | Sustainable crewedlunar exploration |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Program history | |
| Cost | US$93 billion (2012–2025), $53 billion in 2021–2025[1] |
| Duration | 2017; 8 years ago (2017)–present[2] |
| First flight | Artemis I (November 16, 2022)[3][4] |
| First crewed flight | Artemis II (NET February 5, 2026) |
| Launch sites | |
| Vehicle information | |
| Crewed vehicles | |
| Crew capacity | 4[5] |
| Launch vehicles |
|
| Part ofa series on the |
| United States space program |
|---|
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National security space |
TheArtemis program is aMoon exploration program led by the United States'National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), formally established in 2017 viaSpace Policy Directive 1. The program is intended to reestablish a human presence on the Moon for the first time since theApollo 17 mission in 1972, with a stated long-term goal to establish apermanent base on the Moon and facilitatehuman missions to Mars.
Two principal elements of the Artemis program are derived from the now-cancelledConstellation program: theOrion spacecraft (with theESM instead of a US-built service module) and theSpace Launch System's (SLS)solid rocket boosters (originally developed for theAres V). Other elements of the program, such as theLunar Gateway space station and theHuman Landing System, are in development bygovernment space agencies andprivate spaceflight companies, collaborations bound by theArtemis Accords and governmental contracts.
The Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft and the Human Landing System form the mainspaceflight infrastructure for Artemis, and the Lunar Gateway plays a supporting role in human habitation. Supporting infrastructures for Artemis include theCommercial Lunar Payload Services,development of ground infrastructures,Artemis Base Camp on the Moon, Moon rovers, and spacesuits. Some aspects of the program have been criticized, such as the use of anear-rectilinear halo orbit and the program's sustainability.
Orion's first launch on the Space Launch System was originally set in 2016, but faced numerous delays; it launched on November 16, 2022, as theArtemis I mission, with robots and mannequins aboard. As of October 2025[update], the crewedArtemis II launch is scheduled for Feb 2026, theArtemis III crewed lunar landing is expected to launch no earlier than mid-2027, theArtemis IV docking with the Lunar Gateway is planned for late 2028, theArtemis V docking with the European Space Agency'sESPRIT, Canada'sCanadarm3, and NASA'sLunar Terrain Vehicle is planned for early 2030, and the Artemis VI docking which is expected to integrate theCrew and Science Airlock with theLunar Gateway station is planned for early 2031. After Artemis VI, NASA plans yearly landings on the Moon from then on.
The program faced its greatest existential threat as the economics of launch costs began to change drastically due toreusable launch vehicles in the early 2020s. After multiple sessions of Congress debated the viability of the program, it was ultimately funded by passage of the2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.[9]
The Artemis program is organized around a series of SLS missions. These space missions will increase in complexity and are scheduled to occur at intervals of a year or more. NASA and its partners have planned Artemis I through Artemis V missions; later Artemis missions have also been proposed. Each SLS mission centers on the launch of an SLS launch vehicle carrying anOrion spacecraft. Missions after Artemis II will depend on support missions launched by other organizations and spacecraft for support functions.
Artemis I (2022) was the successful uncrewed test of the SLS and Orion, and was the first test flight for both craft.[i] The Artemis I mission placed Orion into a lunar orbit and then returned to Earth. The SLS Block 1 design uses theInterim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) second stage, which performs the trans-lunar injection burn to send Orion to lunar space. For Artemis I, Orion braked into a polar distant retrogradelunar orbit and remained for about six days before boosting back toward Earth. The Orion capsule separated from its service module, re-entered the atmosphere foraerobraking, and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean under parachutes.[10]
Artemis II (2026) is planned to be the first crewed test flight of SLS and the Orion spacecraft.[11] The four crew members will perform extensive testing in Earth orbit, and Orion will then be boosted into afree-return trajectory around the Moon, which will return Orion to Earth for re-entry and splashdown. Launch is scheduled for no later than April 2026.[11][12]
Artemis III (2027) is planned to be the first American crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972.[11] The mission depends on a support mission to place aStarship Human Landing System (HLS) in anear-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) of the Moon prior to the launch of SLS/Orion. After Starship HLS reaches NRHO, SLS/Orion will send the Orion spacecraft with a crew of four to dock with HLS.[ii] Two astronauts will transfer to HLS, which will descend to the lunar surface and spend about 6.5 days on the surface.[13] The astronauts will perform at least twoExtravehicular Activities (EVAs) on the surface before the HLS ascends to return them to a rendezvous with Orion. Orion will return the four astronauts to Earth. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than mid-2027.[11][12]
Artemis IV (2028) is planned to be the second crewed lunar landing mission. Orion and an upgradedStarship HLS will dock with the Lunar Gateway station in NRHO prior to the landing. A prior support mission will deliver the first two Lunar Gateway modules to NRHO. The extra power of this mission's SLS Block 1B will allow it to deliver the I-HAB Gateway module for connection to the Lunar Gateway. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than September 2028.[14][15]
Artemis V (2030) is planned to be the third crewed lunar landing, which will deliver four astronauts to the Lunar Gateway station. The mission will deliver theEuropean Space Agency'sESPRIT refueling and communications module andCanadarm3, a Canadian-built robotic arm system for the Gateway. Also delivered will be NASA'sLunar Terrain Vehicle. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 2030.[14][16] The mission will also be the first to useBlue Origin'sBlue Moon lander to take astronauts to the Moon's surface.
Artemis VI (2031) is planned to be the fourth crewed lunar landing, which will integrate theCrew and Science Airlock with the Gateway space station.[17] Launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 2031.[16] As of 2024, the Airlock module is under construction.[18]
Artemis VII (2032) is planned to be the fifth crewed lunar landing, which will deliver the Habitable Mobility Platform (Lunar Cruiser) to the surface of the moon on an SLS Block 1B rocket. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than March 2032.[19]
Artemis VIII (2033) is planned to be the sixth crewed lunar landing, which will have a lunar landing with the delivery of lunar surface logistics and the Foundational Surface Habitat using an SLS Block 1B rocket with the aid of Blue Origin. Launch is scheduled for no earlier than 2033.[20]
Artemis IX (2034) is planned to be the seventh crewed lunar landing, which will have another lunar landing with the delivery of additional lunar surface logistics. Unlike Artemis VIII, however, this mission will be the first to use an SLS Block 2 rocket.[21]
Artemis X (2035) is planned to be the eighth crewed lunar landing, which will feature the delivery of additional lunar surface logistics using an SLS Block 2 rocket, and will also include astronauts staying on the moon for an extended period of time.[21]
For many Artemis program missions, the Space Launch System's two solid rocket boosters' engines and casings and four main engines and the Orion spacecraft's main engine will all be previously flownSpace Shuttle main engines,solid rocket boosters, andOrbital Maneuvering System engines. They are refurbished legacy engines from the Space Shuttle program, some of which even date back to the early 1980s. For example, Artemis I had components that flew on 83 of the 135 Space Shuttle missions. From Artemis I to Artemis IV recycled Shuttle main engines will be used before manufacturing new engines. From Artemis I to Artemis III recycled Shuttle solid rocket boosters' engines and steel casings will be used before manufacturing new ones. From Artemis I to Artemis VI the Orion main engine will use six previously flown Space Shuttle OMS engines.[22][23][24]
Support missions include robotic landers, delivery of Gateway modules, Gateway logistics, delivery of the HLS, and delivery of elements of the Moon base. Most of these missions are executed under NASA contracts to commercial providers.
Under theCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, several robotic landers will deliver scientific instruments and robotic rovers to the lunar surface after Artemis I. Additional CLPS missions are planned throughout the Artemis program to deliver payloads to the Moon base. These include habitat modules and rovers in support of crewed missions.
A Human Landing System (HLS) is a spacecraft that can convey crew members from NRHO to the lunar surface, support them on the surface, and return them to NRHO. Each crewed landing needs one HLS, although some or all of the spacecraft may be reusable. Each HLS must be launched from Earth and delivered to NRHO in one or more launches. The initial commercial contract was awarded to SpaceX for two Starship HLS missions, one uncrewed and one crewed as part of Artemis III. These two missions each require one HLS launch and multiple fueling launches, all onSpaceX Starship launchers. NASA later exercised an option under the initial contract to commission an upgraded Starship HLS for Artemis IV and a separate contract toBlue Origin to develop a third crewed lunar lander, which will make its first crewed flight as part of the Artemis V mission.
The first two Gateway modules (PPE and HALO) will be delivered to NRHO in a single launch using aFalcon Heavy launcher. Originally planned to be available prior to Artemis III, as of 2021 it is planned for availability before Artemis IV.
The Gateway will be resupplied and supported by launches ofDragon XL spacecraft launched by Falcon Heavy. Each Dragon XL will remain attached to Gateway for up to six months. The Dragon XLs will not return to Earth, but will be disposed of, probably by deliberate crashes on the lunar surface.
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The Artemis program incorporates several major components of previously cancelledNASA programs and missions, including theConstellation program and theAsteroid Redirect Mission. Originally legislated by theNASA Authorization Act of 2005, Constellation included the development ofAres I,Ares V, and the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. The program ran from the early 2000s until 2010.[25]
In May 2009, U.S. PresidentBarack Obama established theAugustine Committee to take into account several objectives including support for theInternational Space Station, development of missions beyondlow Earth orbit (including the Moon, Mars, andnear-Earth objects), and use of the commercial space industry within defined budget limits.[26] The committee concluded that the Constellation program was massively underfunded and that a 2020 Moon landing was impossible. Constellation was subsequently put on hold.[27]
On April 15, 2010,President Obama spoke at the Kennedy Space Center, announcing the administration's plans for NASA and cancelling the non-Orion elements of Constellation on the premise that the program had become nonviable.[28] He instead proposed US$6 billion in additional funding and called for development of a new heavy-lift rocket program to be ready for construction by 2015 with crewed missions to Mars orbit by the mid-2030s.[29]
On October 11, 2010, President Obama signed into law theNASA Authorization Act of 2010, which included requirements for the immediate development of the Space Launch System as a follow-on launch vehicle to theSpace Shuttle, and continued development of aCrew Exploration Vehicle to be capable of supporting missions beyond low Earth orbit starting in 2016, while making use of the workforce, assets, and capabilities of theSpace Shuttle program, Constellation program, and other NASA programs. The law also invested in space technologies and robotics capabilities tied to the overall space exploration framework, ensured continued support forCommercial Orbital Transportation Services,Commercial Resupply Services, and expanded theCommercial Crew Development program.[30]
On June 30, 2017, PresidentDonald Trump signed an executive order to re-establish theNational Space Council, chaired by Vice-PresidentMike Pence. The Trump administration's first budget request kept Obama-era human spaceflight programs in place: Commercial Resupply Services, Commercial Crew Development, the Space Launch System, and the Orion spacecraft for deep space missions, while reducing Earth science research and calling for the elimination of NASA's education office.[31]
On December 11, 2017, President Trump signedSpace Policy Directive 1, a change in national space policy that provides for a U.S.-led, integrated program with private sector partners for a human return to the Moon, followed by missions to Mars and beyond. The policy calls for the NASA administrator to "lead an innovative and sustainable program of exploration withcommercial and international partners to enable human expansion across theSolar System and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities". The effort intends to more effectively organize government, private industry, and international efforts toward returning humans to the Moon and laying the foundation of eventual humanexploration of Mars.[2]
Space Policy Directive 1 authorized the lunar-focused campaign. The campaign, later named Artemis, draws upon legacy US spacecraft programs, including theOrion space capsule, theLunar Gateway space station, andCommercial Lunar Payload Services, and creates entirely new programs such as the Human Landing System. The in-development Space Launch System is expected to serve as the primary launch vehicle for Orion, while commercial launch vehicles will launch various other elements of the program.[32]
On March 26, 2019, Vice PresidentMike Pence announced that NASA's Moon landing goal would be accelerated by four years with a planned landing in 2024.[33] On May 16, 2019, NASA AdministratorJim Bridenstine announced that the new program would be namedArtemis, after the goddess of the Moon inGreek mythology who is the twin sister ofApollo.[32][34] Despite the immediate new goals, Mars missions by the 2030s were still intended as of May 2019[update].[2]
In mid-2019, NASA requested US$1.6 billion in additional funding for Artemis for fiscal year 2020,[35] while the Senate Appropriations Committee requested from NASA a five-year budget profile[36] which is needed for evaluation and approval byCongress.[37][38]
In February 2020, theWhite House requested a funding increase of 12% to cover the Artemis program as part of itsfiscal year 2021 budget. The total budget would have been US$25.2 billion per year with US$3.7 billion dedicated toward a Human Landing System. NASA Chief Financial OfficerJeff DeWit said he thought the agency has "a very good shot" to get this budget through Congress despite Democratic concerns around the program.[39] However, in July 2020 theHouse Appropriations Committee rejected the White House's requested funding increase.[40] The bill proposed in the House dedicated only US$700 million toward the Human Landing System, 81% (US$3 billion) short of the requested amount.[41]
In April 2020, NASA awarded funding to Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX for 10-month-long preliminary design studies for the HLS.[42][43][44]
Throughout February 2021, Acting Administrator of NASASteve Jurczyk reiterated those budget concerns when asked about the project's schedule,[45][46] clarifying that "The 2024 lunar landing goal may no longer be a realistic target [...]".[47]
On February 4, 2021, theBiden administration endorsed the Artemis program.[48] More specifically, White House Press SecretaryJen Psaki expressed the Biden administration's "support [for] this effort and endeavor".[49][50][51]
On April 16, 2021, NASA contractedSpaceX to develop, manufacture, and fly two lunar landing flights with theStarship HLS lunar lander.[52] Blue Origin and Dynetics protested the award to theGovernment Accountability Office (GAO) on April 26.[53][54] After the GAO rejected the protests,[55] Blue Origin sued NASA over the award,[56][57] and NASA agreed to stop work on the contract until November 1 as the lawsuit proceeded. The judge dismissed the suit on November 4, and NASA resumed work with SpaceX.[58]
On September 25, 2021, NASA released its first digital, interactive graphic novel in celebration of National Comic Book Day. "First Woman: NASA's Promise for Humanity" is the fictional story of Callie Rodriguez, the first woman to explore the Moon.[59] In March 2025, with thediversity, equity, and inclusion policies of the second Trump administration, this was removed from NASA's web pages,[60] together with other information about the graphic novel.[clarification needed]
On November 15, 2021, an audit ofNASA's Office of Inspector General estimated the true cost of the Artemis program at about $93 billion until 2025.[1]
In addition to the initial SpaceX contract, NASA awarded two rounds of separate contracts in May 2019[61] and September 2021,[62] on aspects of the HLS to encourage alternative designs, separately from the initial HLS development effort. It announced in March 2022 that it was developing new sustainability rules and pursuing both a Starship HLS upgrade (an option under the initial SpaceX contract) and new competing alternative designs. These came after criticism from members of Congress over lack of redundancy and competition, and led NASA to ask for additional support.[63][64]
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Artemis I was originally scheduled for late 2016, and as delays accrued, eventually for late 2021, but the launch date was then pushed back to August 29, 2022.[65] Various delays related to final infrastructure repairs and weather pushed the launch date further out.[66][67][68][69][70][71][72]
In October 2022, NASA launch managers decided on a new launch date in November, which were again slightly delayed due to preparation and weather.[73][74][4] On November 16 at 01:47:44 EST (06:47:44 UTC), Artemis I successfully launched from theKennedy Space Center.[75]
Artemis I was completed at 09:40 PST (17:40 UTC) on December 11, when the Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, after a record-breaking mission, which saw Artemis travel more than 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) on a path around the Moon before returning safely to Earth. The splashdown occurred 50 years to the day since NASA'sApollo 17 Moon landing, the last human crewed mission to touch down on the lunar surface.[76]
Artemis II is scheduled to launch in early 2026 as a crewed lunar flyby. TheEuropean Service Module for the mission was completed and handed over to NASA in 2023.[77] Testing is underway on the Orion module for Artemis II. In April 2024, Lockheed was on track to hand over the Orion module by September after testing was complete.[78][79][80][81] A NASAOIG report released on May 1 reported the mission was still on track, provided corrective actions on the Orion heat shield were made.[82] The Artemis II crew planned to conduct a series of trainings and simulations prior to launch, the first of which occurred in May 2024.[83]
TheSLS core stage for the mission was delivered toKennedy Space Center (KSC) in July 2024.[84][85] Notably, the SLS core stage for Artemis II was the last to be fully built at theMichoud Assembly Facility: future missions starting with Artemis III will have the core stage partly built after arriving at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, managed byExploration Ground Systems, which was deemed to be more efficient by program officials.[86] In July, the Orion spacecraft was moved from the testing cell to the altitude chamber inside theNeil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC.[87] Rocket stacking operations began on November 20, 2024, when the left aft assembly of the booster was stacked onto the Mobile Launcher. The stacking marked a crucial step for launch in late 2025.[88]
On December 5, 2024, NASA delayed the Artemis II mission from September 2025 to April 2026, citing damage found to the heat shield of the uncrewed Orion capsule that flew on the Artemis I mission in 2022.[89] In March 2025, however, NASA announced in a statement to AmericaSpace that the mission might be accelerated and that the launch date could potentially be moved up by two months to February 2026, though this potential move has not been confirmed as of yet.
In the statement, NASA's Public Affairs Office said: "We're looking for ways to enable an earlier launch if possible, potentially launching as soon as February 2026. A February target allows the agency to capitalize on efficiencies in the flow of operations to integrate the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground systems while maintaining crew safety as the top priority."[90]
| Position | Astronaut | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander |  Reid Wiseman,NASASecond spaceflight | |
| Pilot | Victor Glover,NASA Second spaceflight | |
| Payload Specialist | Christina Koch,NASA Second spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist |  Jeremy Hansen,CSAFirst spaceflight | |
Artemis II is to be crewed by four astronauts: CommanderReid Wiseman, PilotVictor J. Glover, Payload SpecialistChristina Koch, and Mission SpecialistJeremy Hansen.[91]Jenni Sidey-Gibbons is Hansen's backup; she will join the mission if Hansen is unable to.[92][93]
Glover, Koch, and Hansen are planned to be the firstperson of color, woman, and non-US citizen to go beyondlow Earth orbit, respectively.[91] Hansen and Sidey-Gibbons areCanadian and have been assigned by theCanadian Space Agency;[91] a 2020 treaty between the United States and Canada led to their involvement.[94]
Artemis III is expected to launch in mid-2027 as the first crewed landing on the Moon since Apollo 17. In February 2024, NASA completed full qualification testing of the docking systems onStarship HLS.[95] Also in February, the bulk of the manufacturing for the core stage of the SLS to be used in the mission was completed.[96] In April 2024, NASA completed Starship’s first internal propellant transfer demonstration. The Starship’s tanker variant ability to act as anorbital propellant depot to Starship HLS is a key capability necessary to complete the Artemis III mission. A ship-to-ship propellant transfer demonstration to further prove out the capability is expected in 2025.[97]
TheEuropean Service Module for the mission was reported on track to be handed over to NASA in summer 2024.[98] The first integrated test for the mission, which included the next generation space suits developed by Axiom Space, and the airlock module of Starship HLS was conducted in June 2024.[99]
On December 5, 2024, NASA delayed the Artemis III mission from September 2026 to mid-2027, citing damage found to the heat shield of the uncrewed Orion capsule that flew on the Artemis I mission in 2022.[89]
In March 2024, NASA announced the scientific instruments to be included on the mission were a compact, autonomous seismometer suite called the Lunar Environment Monitoring Station, or LEMS. LEMS will characterize the regional structure of the Moon's crust and mantle, to inform the development of lunar formation and evolution models. Another instrument is the Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora, a.k.a. LEAF, which will investigate the impact of the lunar surface environment on space crops. The third instrument is the Lunar Dielectric Analyzer, or LDA, an internationally contributed payload that will measure the regolith's ability to propagate an electric field.[100]
Artemis IV is expected to launch in September 2028. Prior to the launch of the mission, aFalcon Heavy is planned to launch the first twoLunar Gateway elements: thePower and Propulsion Element andHabitation and Logistics Outpost,now scheduled for 2027. Artemis IV will then be responsible for launching with a crew with theInternational Habitation Module (I-Hab) and adding the module to the Gateway space station. SLS Block 1B manufacture began in March 2024.[101] The I-Hab module construction was underway as of April 2024.[102]
In May 2024, it was reported NASA made significant progress towards completion of Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2), the launch platform that will be used by the larger SLS Block 1B.[103] In August 2024, the NASA Inspector General estimated that the launch platform could end up costing the agency $2.5 billion, more than six times its original value and may not be ready to support a launch until 2029, making the current launch schedule unrealistic.[104]
NASA has highlighted five key points for the mission, in chronological order:
Artemis V is expected to launch in March 2030. The mission will launch four astronauts on a Space Launch System rocket and anOrion spacecraft to theLunar Gateway. It will be the third lunar landing of the Artemis program. Artemis V will deliver two new elements to the Gateway space station.[106] After docking to the Gateway, two astronauts will board theBlue Moon lunar lander and fly it to theLunar south pole to land near theLunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). This will be the first lunar landing sinceApollo 17 to use an unpressurized lunar rover.[107]
NASA has highlighted five key points for the mission, in chronological order:
Artemis VI is expected to launch in March 2031.[16] The primary objectives of this mission are to integrate theCrew and Science Airlock Module with Gateway, and to complete the fourth crewed lunar surface expedition of the Artemis missions.[105] As of 2024, the Airlock module is under construction byMohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.[18]
NASA has highlighted five key points for the mission, in chronological order:
Artemis VII is expected to launch in March 2032. The objectives are to deliver the Habitable Mobility Platform (Lunar Cruiser) to the surface of the moon on an SLS Block 1B rocket. The mission is expected to last around 30 days.[21][20]
Artemis VIII is expected to launch in 2033. The mission will have a lunar landing, with the delivery of lunar surface logistics and the Foundational Surface Habitat, using an SLS Block 1B rocket with the aid of Blue Origin. The mission is expected to last around 60 days.[20]
Artemis IX is expected to launch in 2034. The mission will have another lunar landing with the delivery of additional lunar surface logistics. This mission will be the first to use an SLS Block 2 rocket. The mission is expected to last around 60 days.[21]
Artemis X is planned to launch in 2035. This mission will feature the delivery of additional lunar surface logistics, and will include astronauts staying on the moon long-term. The mission is expected to last up to 180 days.[21]
As of 2025, additional missions beyond Artemis X have not officially been discussed. Additionally, theNASA Inspector General has stated that the current launch timeline is "unrealistic" and will likely be further delayed.[21]
Implementation of the Artemis program will require additional programs, projects, and commercial launchers to support the construction of the Lunar Gateway, launch resupply missions to the station, and deploy numerous robotic spacecraft and instruments to the lunar surface.[108] Several precursor robotic missions are being coordinated through theCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which is dedicated to scouting and characterization oflunar resources as well as testing principles forin-situ resource utilization (ISRU).[108][109]
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In March 2018,NASA established theCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program with the aim of sending small roboticlanders and rovers mostly to thelunar south pole region as a precursor to and in support of crewed missions.[109][110][111] The main goals include scouting oflunar resources, ISRU feasibility testing, and lunar science.[112] NASA is awarding commercial providersindefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts to develop and fly lunar landers with scientific payloads.[113] The first phase considered proposals capable of delivering at least 10 kg (22 lb) of payload by the end of 2021.[113] Proposals for mid-sized landers capable of delivering between 500 kg (1,100 lb) and 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of cargo were planned to also be considered for launch beyond 2021.[114]
In November 2018, NASA announced the first nine companies that were qualified to bid on the CLPS transportation service contracts (see list below).[115] On 31 May 2019, three of those were awarded lander contracts:Astrobotic Technology,Intuitive Machines, andOrbitBeyond.[116] On July 29, 2019, NASA announced that it had granted OrbitBeyond's request to be released from obligations under the contract citing "internal corporate challenges".[117]
The first twelve payloads and experiments from NASA centers were announced on February 21, 2019.[118] On July 1, 2019, NASA announced the selection of twelve additional payloads, provided by universities and industry. Seven of these are scientific investigations while five are technology demonstrations.[119]
The Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payloads (LSITP) program was soliciting payloads in 2019 that do not require significant additional development. They will include technology demonstrators to advance lunar science or the commercial development of the Moon.[120][121]
In November 2019, NASA added five contractors to the group of companies who are eligible to bid to send large payloads to the surface of the Moon under the CLPS program:Blue Origin,Ceres Robotics,Sierra Nevada Corporation,SpaceX, andTyvak Nano-Satellite Systems.[122][123]
In April 2020, NASA selectedMasten Space Systems for a follow-on CLPS delivery of cargo to the Moon in 2022.[124][125] On June 23, 2021, Masten Space Systems announced it was delayed until November 2023. Dave Masten, the founder and chief technology officer, blamed the delay on the COVID pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues.[126]
In February 2021, NASA selectedFirefly Aerospace for a CLPS launch toMare Crisium in mid-2023.[127][128]
| Qualification date | Company | Proposed services | Contract award | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | amount US$ millions | |||
| November 29, 2018 | Astrobotic Technology | Peregrine lander | May 31, 2019 | 79.5[116] |
| Deep Space Systems | Rover; design and development services | [115] | ||
| Draper Laboratory | Series 2 lander | July 21, 2022 | 73[129] | |
| Firefly Aerospace | Blue Ghost lander | February 4, 2021 | 93.3[127] | |
| Intuitive Machines | Nova-C lander | May 31, 2019 | 77[116] | |
| Lockheed Martin Space | McCandless Lunar Lander | [115] | ||
| Masten Space Systems | XL-1 lander | April 8, 2020 | 75.9[124][115] | |
| Moon Express | MX-1, MX-2, MX-5, MX-9 landers; sample return. | [115] | ||
| OrbitBeyond | Z-01 andZ-02 landers | May 31, 2019 | 97[116][a] | |
| November 18, 2019 | Blue Origin | Blue Moon lander | [123] | |
| Ceres Robotics | [123] | |||
| Sierra Nevada Corporation | [123] | |||
| SpaceX | Starship cargo lander | [123] | ||
| Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems | [123] | |||
| Name | Country | Location | Program element | Services performed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota |  Japan | Toyota City | Crewed lunar rover | Lunar Cruiser[131] |
| ArianeGroup |  France | Gironde | Orion | Propulsion system components[132] |
| ESAB |  Sweden | Laxå Municipality | Space Launch System | Fuel tank structures[133] |
| MT Aerospace |  Germany | Augsburg | Space Launch System | Cryogenic core stage dome core panels[134] |
| Schaeffler Aerospace Germany GmbH & Co. KG | Germany | Schweinfurt | Space Launch System | Cronidur 30 in SLS propulsion systems, components for Orion spacecraft[135] |
| Magna Steyr |  Austria | Graz | Space Launch System | Pressurization lines for the SLS core stage[136] |
| Airbus | Germany | Bremen | Orion | Orion European Service Module[137] |
| 7 Sisters Consortium (includes Fleet Space Technologies,[138]OZ Minerals,University of Adelaide,[139]University of New South Wales, and Unearthed) |  Australia | Adelaide,Perth,Sydney | Lunar exploration support | Companion program to Artemis to provide nanosatellite solutions and exploration support for crewed Artemis missions.[140] |
| MDA | Canada | Brampton,Ontario | Lunar Gateway | Canadarm 3[141] |
| Ispace | Japan | Tokyo | Lunar in situ resource utilization | Hakuto-R lunar regolith transfer[142] |
| Ispace Europe |  Luxembourg | Luxembourg City | Lunar in situ resource utilization | Lunar regolith transfer[143] |
On May 5, 2020,Reuters reported that theTrump administration was drafting a new international agreement outlining the laws formining on the Moon.[144] NASA AdministratorJim Bridenstine officially announced the Artemis Accords on May 15, 2020. It consists of a series of multilateral agreements between the governments of participating nations in the Artemis program "grounded in theOuter Space Treaty of 1967".[145][146] The Artemis Accords have been criticized by some American researchers as "a concerted, strategic effort to redirect international space cooperation in favor of short-term U.S. commercial interests".[147]
The Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program is one of three NASA programs based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. EGS was established to develop and operate the systems and facilities necessary to process and launch rockets and spacecraft during assembly, transport, and launch.[148] EGS is preparing the infrastructure to support NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and its payloads, such as theOrion spacecraft for Artemis I.[149][150]
TheLunar Gateway is a space station to be constructed in lunar orbit, and the Gateway Logistics Services program will provide cargo and other supplies to the station, even when crews are not present.[151] As of 2022[update], only SpaceX's supply vehicle, known asDragon XL, is planned to supply the Gateway. Dragon XL is a version of theDragon spacecraft, to be launched by theFalcon Heavy. UnlikeDragon 2 and its predecessor, it is intended to be an expendable spacecraft.
As of the early mission concepts outlined by NASA in May 2020 and refined by the HLS contract award in July 2021, the primary Earth-launch vehicles planned to support the Artemis program will include the NASA Space Launch System for theOrion vehicle, theFalcon Heavy for various components of theLunar Gateway,[152] and the Starship HLS configuration for the eventual delivery of theHLS vehicle. Other standard SpaceX Starships may be used later to meet other and yet to be determined crew and/or cargo handling mission needs.[153] Additional launch vehicles will also be employed later for CLPS cargo services. The EuropeanAriane 6 has been proposed to be part of the program in July 2019.[154]
ThePower and Propulsion Element (PPE) module and theHabitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) of theGateway, which were previously planned for theSLS Block 1B,[155] will now fly together on aFalcon Heavy in 2027.[156][157][158] The Gateway will be supported and resupplied by approximately 28 commercial cargo missions launched by undetermined commercial launch vehicles.[159] TheGateway Logistics Services (GLS) will be in charge of resupply missions.[159] GLS has also contracted for the construction of a resupply vehicle, Dragon XL, capable of remaining docked to the Gateway for one year of operations, providing and generating its own power while docked, and capable of autonomous disposal at the end of its mission.[159][160][161]
In May 2019, the plan was for components of a crewed lunar lander to be deployed to the Gateway on commercial launchers before the arrival of the first crewed mission,Artemis III.[162] An alternative approach where the HLS and Orion dock together directly was discussed.[163][164]
As late as mid-2019, NASA considered use ofDelta IV Heavy and Falcon Heavy to launch a crewed Orion mission given SLS delays.[165] Given the complexity of conversion to a different vehicle, the agency ultimately decided to use only the SLS to launch astronauts.[8]
| Launch vehicle | Missions | Payload | Estimated cost per launch | First launch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEO | TLI | ||||
| SLS Block 1 | Crew transportation | 95 t | 27 t | US$2 billion | November 16, 2022[4] |
| SLS Block 1B | Crew transportation, I-HAB Gateway Module | 105 t | 42 t | US$2 billion | In development (2028) |
| SLS Block 2 | Crew transportation, Heavy payloads | 130 t | 45 t | US$2 billion | In development (after 2029) |
| Falcon Heavy | Dragon XL launches, two Gateway modules, VIPER (cancelled) | 63.8 t | US$150 million (expendable)[166] | February 6, 2018[167] | |
| Vulcan Centaur | CLPS missions | 27.2 t | 12.1 t | US$82–200 million | January 8, 2024[168] |
| Falcon 9 | CLPS missions | 22.8 t | US$62 million[169] | June 4, 2010[170] | |
| Electron | CAPSTONE | 0.3 t | US$7.5 million[171][172] | May 25, 2017[173] | |
| Starship | Starship HLS, heavyCLPS payloads | 200 t[174] | 200 t[a] | US$2 million (goal)[175][b] | April 20, 2023[176] |
| Ariane 6 | Argonaut | 21.6 t | 8.6 t | €115 million[177][178] | July 9, 2024[179][180] |
| New Glenn | Blue Moon | 45 t | 7 t | $68 million | January 16, 2025[181] |
LEO: Low Earth Orbit
TLI: Trans-Lunar Injection
TheSpace Launch System (SLS) is a United Statessuper heavy-liftexpendable launch vehicle, which has been under development since its announcement in 2011. The SLS is the main Earth-launch vehicle of the Artemis lunar program, as of March 2021[update]. NASA is required by theU.S. Congress to use SLS Block 1, which will be powerful enough to lift apayload of 95 metric tons (209,000 lb) tolow Earth orbit (LEO), and will launchArtemis I,II, andIII.[182][183][184] Starting in 2028, Block 1B is intended to debut theExploration Upper Stage (EUS) and launch the notional Artemis IV–VII.[185][186]
Starting in 2029, Block 2 is planned to replace the initial Shuttle-derived boosters with advanced boosters and would have a LEO capability of more than 130 metric tons (290,000 lb), again as required by Congress.[187] Block 2 is intended to enable crewed launches toMars.[6] The SLS will launch theOrion spacecraft and use the ground operations capabilities and launch facilities at NASA'sKennedy Space Center inFlorida.
In March 2019, theTrump administration released itsFiscal Year 2020 Budget Request for NASA. This budget did not initially include any money for the Block 1B and Block 2 variants of SLS, but later a request for a budget increase of $1.6 billion towards SLS, Orion, and crewed landers was made. Block 1B is now intended to debut on Artemis IV and will be used mainly for co-manifested crew transfers and logistics rather than constructing the Gateway as initially planned. An uncrewed Block 1B was planned to launch theLunar Surface Asset in 2028, the first lunar outpost of the Artemis program, but now that launch has been moved to a commercial launcher.[188]Block 2 development will most likely start in the late 2020s after NASA is regularly visiting the lunar surface and shifts focus towards Mars.[189]
In October 2019, NASA authorizedBoeing to purchase materials in bulk for more SLS rockets ahead of the announcement of a new contract. The contract was expected to support up to ten core stages and eightExploration Upper Stages for the SLS 1B to transfer heavy payloads of up to 40 metric tons on a lunar trajectory.[190]
Boeing, the main contractor for the SLS, informed its employees working on the rocket on February 7, 2025, that they may be laid off when its contract expires, suggesting theTrump Administration may propose canceling the SLS.[191][192] The release of Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for NASA on May 2 involved cutting $6 billion (24%) from NASA's $24.8 billion budget and allocating $1 billion to SpaceX.[193][194] If approved, the budget will cancel the SLS and Orion spacecraft after Artemis III due to the SLS's cost of $4 billion per launch,[195] as well as theLunar Gateway.[196][197]
On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed theOne Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allocates $10 billion for NASA; this includes $700 million for aMars Telecommunications Orbiter (a project which was initially cancelled in 2005); $2.6 billion for theLunar Gateway space station; $4.1 billion for the development of theSpace Launch System rockets for theArtemis IV andArtemis V missions; $20 million for the Artemis IVOrion spacecraft; $1.25 billion forInternational Space Station operations throughout 2030; $325 million for theU.S. Deorbit Vehicle; $1 billion for improvements at five NASA centers ($300 million forJohnson Space Center, $250 million forKennedy Space Center, $120 million forStennis Space Center, $100 million forMarshall Space Flight Center and $30 million forMichoud Assembly Facility); $85 million will also be allocated to transfer a space vehicle to a field center that is involved in the administration of theCommercial Crew Program (aimed at movingSpace Shuttle Discovery to the Johnson Space Center). Thismeasure indicates that a cancellation of the Artemis program is highly unlikely.[198][199][200]
The SpaceX Starship system is a fully-reusablesuper heavy-lift Earth-launch system which is under development. It consists of a first-stage booster namedSuper-Heavy and a second-stage space vehicle which is generally namedStarship and which will have several variants. A Starship HLS mission will use three variants: a tanker, a propellant depot, and theStarship HLS itself which will be designed only for lunar landings and takeoffs, and not for Earth landings. Some variants will be able to return to Earth for reuse.
The second-stage Starships are fully self-contained spacecraft, complete with their own propulsion systems. The combined Starship system using standard Starship variants for its second-stage is planned to launch crews and cargo, which may then be used to support the various developmental needs of the Artemis program, and also to support the needs of other NASA and SpaceX programs.
The SpaceX Starship is also qualified to be bid forCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) launches, and in 2021 was the winning NASA bid for a crewed lunar landing.[201][202][203]
The SpaceX Falcon Heavy is a partially reusable heavy-lift launcher. It will be used to launch the first two Gateway modules into NRHO.[204] It will also be used to launch the Dragon XL spacecraft on supply missions to Gateway,[205] and it is qualified to be bid for other launches under the CLPS program. It was selected under CLPS to launch the VIPER mission, though this mission was later cancelled in 2024 due to cost overruns and mission delays.[206]
Under the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Service) program, qualified CLPS vendors can use any launcher that meets their mission requirements.
Orion is a class ofpartially reusable spacecraft to be used in the Artemis program. The spacecraft consists of a Crew Module (CM)space capsule designed byLockheed Martin and theEuropean Service Module (ESM) manufactured byAirbus Defence and Space. Capable of supporting a crew of six beyondlow Earth orbit, Orion is equipped withsolar panels, anautomated docking system, andglass cockpit interfaces modeled after those used in theBoeing 787 Dreamliner. It has a singleAJ10 engine for primary propulsion, and others includingreaction control system engines. Although designed to be compatible with otherlaunch vehicles, Orion is primarily intended to launch atop aSpace Launch System (SLS) rocket, with a towerlaunch escape system.
Orion was originally conceived by Lockheed Martin as a proposal for theCrew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to be used in NASA'sConstellation program. Following the cancellation of the Constellation program in 2010, Orion was heavily redesigned for use in NASA's Journey to Mars initiative; later named Moon to Mars. TheSLS replaced theAres I as Orion's primary launch vehicle, and the service module was replaced with a design based on theEuropean Space Agency'sAutomated Transfer Vehicle. A development version of Orion's CM was launched in 2014 duringExploration Flight Test-1, while at least four test articles were produced. By 2022, three flight-worthy Orion crew modules have been built, with an additional one ordered, for use in the Artemis program; the first of these was due to be launched on November 30, 2020, however,Artemis I did not launch until November 16, 2022.
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On March 27, 2020, SpaceX revealed the Dragon XL resupply spacecraft to carry pressurized and unpressurized cargo, experiments and other supplies to NASA's plannedLunar Gateway under aGateway Logistics Services (GLS) contract.[207][208] The equipment delivered by Dragon XL missions could include sample collection materials, spacesuits and other items astronauts may need on the Gateway and on the surface of theMoon, according toNASA. It will launch on SpaceXFalcon Heavy rockets fromLC-39A at theKennedy Space Center inFlorida.[209]
The Dragon XL will stay at the Gateway for 6 to 12 months at a time, when research payloads inside and outside the cargo vessel could be operated remotely, even when crews are not present.[209] Its payload capacity is expected to be more than 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) to lunar orbit.[210] There is no requirement for a return to Earth. At the end of the mission the Dragon XL must be able to undock and dispose of the same mass it can bring to the Gateway, by moving the spacecraft to a heliocentric orbit.[211]
On February 22, 2023, NASA discussed the Dragon XL's development for the first time since its 2020 unveiling, with Mark Wiese, NASA's manager of deep space logistics for the Gateway program, answering during a panel atSpaceCom that NASA has been working with SpaceX to run a series of studies to refine the Dragon XL design and examine cargo configurations and other capabilities that could be enabled by the spacecraft.[212] Wiese also elaborated that Dragon XL would be used for initial missions, and stating that "[NASA] talked to [SpaceX] aboutStarship evolution and how it all worked together, but we’re not there yet because it's still in a development phase" hinting that Starship will eventually replace Dragon XL once it completes development.[212]
On March 29, 2024, NASA released an article outlining the mission ofArtemis IV, which is to be the first crewed mission to the Lunar Gateway slated for 2028, stating that the Dragon XL will be used to resupply and carry science experiments, however, Artemis IV will take place concurrently with a Starship launch which will dock at the Gateway and help with the assembly of the station.[213]The Human Landing System (HLS) is a critical component of the Artemis mission. This system transports crew from lunar orbit (the Gateway or an Orion spacecraft) to the lunar surface, acts as a lunar habitat, and then transports the crew back to lunar orbit. In 2021 SpaceX'sStarship HLS program was awarded the winning NASA bid for the production of a crewed lunar landing vehicle.[201] In May 2023,Blue Origin was selected as the second provider for lunar lander services.[214][215]
Bidding for NASA's HLS lunar landing vehicle began in 2019. At that time, NASA elected to have the HLS designed and developed by commercial vendors. Eleven competing contracts were initially awarded in May 2019. In April 2020, NASA awarded three competing design contracts, and in April 2021, NASA selected theStarship HLS to proceed to development and production.
Separate from its early design and development program for its first HLS spacecraft, NASA retains multiple smaller contracts to study various elements of alternative HLS designs.
The Starship Human Landing System (Starship HLS) was the winner selected by NASA for potential use for long-duration crewed lunar landings as part of NASA's Artemis program.[52][216]
Starship HLS is a variant of SpaceX'sStarship spacecraft optimized to operate on and around the Moon. In contrast to the Starship spacecraft from which it derives, Starship HLS will never re-enter an atmosphere, so it does not have aheat shield orflight control surfaces. In contrast to other proposed HLS designs that used multiple stages, the entire spacecraft will land on the Moon and will then launch from the Moon. Like other Starship variants, Starship HLS hasRaptor engines mounted at the tail as its primary propulsion system. However, when it is within "tens of meters" of the lunar surface during descent and ascent, it will use high-thrust methane/oxygen RCS thrusters located mid-body instead of the Raptors to avoid raising dust viaplume impingement. A solar array located on the nose below the docking port provides electrical power. Elon Musk stated that Starship HLS would be able to deliver "potentially up to 200 tons" to the lunar surface.
Starship HLS would be launched to Earth orbit using the SpaceXSuper Heavy booster, and would use a series of tanker spacecraft to refuel the Starship HLS vehicle in Earth orbit for lunar transit and lunar landing operations, a capability referred to asorbital refueling. Starship HLS would then boost itself to lunar orbit for rendezvous with Orion. In the mission concept, a NASA Orion spacecraft would carry a NASA crew to the lander, where they would depart and descend to the surface of the Moon. After lunar surface operations, Starship HLS would lift off from the lunar surface acting as asingle-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle and return the crew to Orion.
On May 19, 2023, NASA announced an additional contract to Blue Origin to develop a second crewed lunar lander, which will make its first crewed flight as part of theArtemis V mission. Blue Moon is smaller than the SpaceX HLS lander, having only 20 tons of payload capacity. The lander is fueled with a combination of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants.[217]
NASA's Gateway is an in-developmentmini-space station inlunar orbit intended to serve as a solar-powered communication hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module, and holding area for rovers and other robots.[218] While the project is led by NASA, the Gateway is meant to be developed, serviced, and used in collaboration with commercial and international partners: Canada (Canadian Space Agency) (CSA), Europe (European Space Agency) (ESA), and Japan (JAXA).
ThePower and Propulsion Element (PPE) started development at theJet Propulsion Laboratory during the now canceledAsteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). The original concept was a robotic, high performancesolar electric spacecraft that would retrieve a multi-ton boulder from an asteroid and bring it to lunar orbit for study.[219] When ARM was canceled, the solar electric propulsion was repurposed for the Gateway.[220][221] The PPE will allow access to the entire lunar surface and act as aspace tug for visiting craft.[222] It will also serve as the command and communications center of the Gateway.[223][224] The PPE is intended to have a mass of 8–9 tonnes and the capability to generate 50 kW[225] ofsolar electric power for itsion thrusters, which can be supplemented by chemical propulsion.[226]
The Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO),[227][228] also called the Minimal Habitation Module (MHM) and formerly known as the Utilization Module,[229] will be built byNorthrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS).[230][231] A single Falcon Heavy equipped with an extended fairing[232] will launch the PPE together with the HALO in 2027.[156][157] The HALO is based on aCygnus Cargo resupply module[230] to the outside of which radial docking ports, body mounted radiators (BMRs), batteries and communications antennae will be added. The HALO will be a scaled-down habitation module,[233] yet, it will feature a functional pressurized volume providing sufficient command, control, and data handling capabilities, energy storage and power distribution, thermal control, communications and tracking capabilities, two axial and up to two radial docking ports, stowage volume, environmental control andlife support systems to augment the Orion spacecraft and support a crew of four for at least 30 days.[231]
In late October 2020, NASA andEuropean Space Agency (ESA) finalized an agreement to collaborate in the Gateway program. ESA will provide a habitat module in partnership withJAXA (I-HAB) and a refueling module (ESPRIT). In return, Europe will have three flight opportunities to launch crew aboard the Orion crew capsule, for which they will provide the service module.[234][235]
In 2024, the HALO module reached substantial completion and entered into the stress test phase, following successful completion of which it will be shipped from Europe to the US in preparation for configuration with the PPE module and launch.[236]
On January 10, 2020,NASA's 22nd astronaut group, nicknamed the "Turtles", graduated and were assigned to the Artemis program. The group includes twoCanadian Space Agency (CSA) astronauts. The group earned their nickname from the prior astronaut group, "The 8-Balls", as is a tradition dating back to "The Mercury Seven" in 1962 which subsequently provided the "Next Nine" with their nickname. They were given this name, for the most part, because ofHurricane Harvey. Some of the astronauts will fly on the Artemis missions to the Moon and may be part of the first crew to fly to Mars.[237]
On December 9, 2020,vice presidentMike Pence announced the first group of 18 astronauts (all American, including 9 male and 9 female from different backgrounds), the 1stArtemis team, who could be selected as astronauts of early missions of the Artemis program:[238]
Chief AstronautReid Wiseman said in August 2022, however, that all 42 active members of theNASA Astronaut Corps and ten more training asNASA Astronaut Group 23 are eligible for Artemis II and later flights.[239]
The Artemis Base Camp will support missions of up to two months and will be used to study technologies to use on future Moon or Mars bases, and then future stationary modules may be used regularly for decades to come through both Government and commercial programs. Most probably it will be a site that has already been visited by prior robotic missions. It will consist of three main modules:
In 2022, NASA has identified 13 candidate regions near the lunar South Pole for initial landing and inspection missions.[241]
In February 2020, NASA released tworequests for information regarding both a crewed and uncrewed unpressurized surface rover. The latter, Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) would be prepositioned by a CLPS vehicle before the Artemis III mission. It would be used to transport crews around the exploration site and serve a similar function to the ApolloLunar Roving Vehicle. In July 2020, NASA established a program office for the rover at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.[242]
NASA has specified its need for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) that has a cargo capacity of 800 kg, traversal distances of up to 20 km without battery recharging, continuous operations for 8 hours within a 24-hour period, the ability to survive the lunar night, and the ability to traverse grades as steep as ±20 degrees.[240]
On April 3, 2024, NASA announced thatIntuitive Machines,Lunar Outpost and Venturi Astrolab are the three companies developing the LTV in a 12-month feasibility and demo phase.[243] A source selection statement by NASA provided further details on cost and overall feasibility on April 9, 2024. The Intuitive Machines proposal was for $1.692 billion, Lunar Outpost for $1.727 billion and Astrolab for $1.928 billion to develop the vehicle.[244]
The Artemis Base Camp is the proposed lunar base to be established at the end of the 2020s. The Base camp is to be located in the south pole region near the two adjacentShackleton andde Gerlache craters,[245] due to this area's wide variety of lunar geography and also due to the abundance of water ice that is believed to exist in the lunar soils of the crater floors. The environs of these craters fall under the guidelines of theOuter Space Treaty.[242][246]
Most of the information about the Surface Habitat (SH) modules comes from studies and launch manifests which include a reference to its launch. It will be commercially built and commercially launched in the early 2030s along with thePressurized Vehicle (PV).[247] The SH was formerly referred to as the Artemis Surface Asset. Launch plans as of February 2020[update] showed that landing it on the surface would be similar to the HLS. The SH would be sent to the Gateway where it would then be attached to a descent stage and subsequently transported to the lunar surface with a commercial launcher and lander. It would use the same lunar transfer stage as used for the HLS. Other designs from 2019 envisioned it being launched from anSLS Block 1B as a single unit and landing directly on the surface. It would then be hooked up to a surface power system launched by a CLPS mission and tested by the Artemis VI crew.[242][248] The Italian Space Agency signed a contract with Thales Alenia Space in late 2023 for theMulti Purpose Habitation module, which may become the second module for the Artemis Base Camp.[249][250]
As of February 2020, a lunar stay during a Phase 1 Artemis mission will be about seven days and will have fiveextravehicular activities (EVA). Anotional concept of operations, i.e., a hypothetical but possible plan, would include the following: On Day 1 of the stay, astronauts touchdown on the Moon but do not conduct an EVA. Instead, they prepare for the EVA scheduled for the next day, in what is referred to as "The Road to EVA".[251]
On Day 2, the astronauts open the hatch on the Human Landing System and embark on EVA 1, which will be six hours long. It will include collecting a contingency sample, conducting public affairs activities, deploying the experiment package, and acquiring samples. The astronauts will stay close to the landing site on this first EVA. EVA 2 begins on day 3. The astronauts characterize and collect samples frompermanently shadowed regions. Unlike the previous EVA, the astronauts will go farther from the landing site, up to 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), and up and down slopes of 20°.[251]
Day 4 will not include an EVA, but Day 5 will. EVA 3 may include activities such as collecting samples from an ejecta blanket. Day 6 will have the two astronauts deploy a geotechnical instrument alongside an environmental monitoring station forin-situ resource utilization (ISRU). Day 7 will have the final and shortest EVA. This EVA will last one hour, rather than the others' six hours in duration from egress to ingress, and mostly comprises preparations for the lunar ascent, including jettisoning hardware. Once the final EVA is concluded, the astronauts will return to the Human Landing System and the vehicle will launch from the surface and join up with Orion/Gateway.[251]
The Pressurized Rover (PR) is a large, pressurized module used to enable crewed operation across large distances and live for multiple days. NASA had developed multiple pressurized rovers including what was formerly called theSpace Exploration Vehicle (SEV). This rover was built for theConstellation program and was fabricated and then tested. In the 2020 flight manifest it was later referred to as the "Mobile Habitat" suggesting it could fill a similar role to theILREC Lunar Bus. It would be ready for the crew to use on the surface but could also be autonomously controlled from the Gateway or other locations.
Mark Kirasich, who is the acting director of NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems, has stated that the current plan is to partner withJAXA andToyota to develop a closed cabin rover to support crews for up to 14 days (currently known asLunar Cruiser). "It's very important to our leadership at the moment to involve JAXA in a major surface element", he said. "... The Japanese, and their auto industry, have a very strong interest in rover-type things. So, there was an idea to—even though we have done a lot of work—to let the Japanese lead development of a pressurized rover. So right now, that's the direction we're heading in".
In regard to the PR, senior-lunar-scientist Clive Neal said "Under Constellation, NASA had a sophisticated rover put together. It's pretty sad if it's never going to get to the Moon". However Neal also said that he understands the different mission objectives between the Constellation Program and those of the Artemis Program, and the need of the Artemis Program to focus more on international collaboration.[242][252][253][254][255]
On April 9, 2024, it was announced that JAXA and NASA had signed an agreement stipulating that Japan would join the pressurized rover collaboration venture and would design, develop, and operate a rover for crewed and uncrewed exploration of the Moon. In return, NASA will provide the launch and delivery of the rover to the Moon, as well as providing seats for two Japanese astronaut missions to the lunar surface, with the goal of these astronauts being the first non-Americans to travel to the Moon's surface. The pressurized rover is planned to accommodate two astronauts for up to 30 days outside. NASA plans to use the pressurized rover from Artemis VII and subsequent missions, over an approximate 10 year lifespan.[256]
The Artemis program will make use of two types ofspace suit revealed in October 2019: theExploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU),[257] and the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS).[258]
On August 10, 2021, aNASA Office of Inspector General audit reported a conclusion that the spacesuits would not be ready until April 2025 at the earliest, likely delaying the mission from the then planned late 2024.[259] In response to the IG report,SpaceX indicated that they could provide the suits.[260]
NASA published a draft RFP to procure commercially-produced spacesuits in order to meet the 2024 schedule.[261] On June 2, 2022, NASA announced that commercially produced spacesuits would be developed byAxiom Space andCollins Aerospace.[262] In early 2024, the development reached the critical design and test phase.[263][264]
A prototype version of the Orion Crew Module was launched onExploration Flight Test-1 on December 5, 2014[265][266] atop aDelta IV Heavy rocket. Itsreaction control system and other components were tested during twomedium Earth orbits, reaching an apogee of 5,800 km (3,600 mi) and crossing theVan Allen radiation belts before making a high-energy re-entry at 32,000 km/h (20,000 mph).[267][268]
TheAscent Abort-2 test on July 2, 2019, tested the final iteration of the launch abort system on a 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) Orionboilerplate at maximum aerodynamic load,[269][270][271] using a customMinotaur IV-derived launch vehicle built byOrbital ATK.[271][272]
As of November 2022[update], all crewed Artemis missions will launch on the Space Launch System fromKennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B. Current plans call for some supporting hardware to be launched on other vehicles and from other launch pads.
| Mission | Patch | Launch date | Spacecraft | Crew | Launch vehicle | Lander vehicle | Duration | Goal | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis I |  | November 16, 2022[74][4] | — | SLS Block 1 | — | 25 days[273] | Uncrewedlunar orbit and return | Success | |
| Artemis II |  | NET February 5, 2026 | CM-003Integrity | SLS Block 1 | — | 10 days[274] | 4-person lunar flyby | Planned | |
| Artemis III | Mid-2027[275] | TBA | SLS Block 1 | Starship HLS[15] | ~30 days | 4-person lunar orbit with 2-person lunar landing.[276] | Planned | ||
| Artemis IV | September 2028[14] | TBA | SLS Block 1B | Starship HLS[15] | ~30 days | Delivery of theI-HAB module to theLunar Gateway, followed by a 2-person lunar landing.[277][278] | Planned | ||
| Artemis V | March 2030[16] | TBA | SLS Block 1B | Blue Moon[279] | ~30 days | Delivery of theESPRIT module to the Lunar Gateway, followed by a 2-person lunar landing with theLunar Terrain Vehicle. | Planned | ||
| Artemis VI | March 2031[16] | TBA[iii] | SLS Block 1B | TBA | ~30 days | Delivery of theCrew and Science Airlock module to the Lunar Gateway, followed by a lunar landing. | Planned |
In November 2021, plans to return humans to the Moon in 2024 were cancelled, and theArtemis III mission was delayed until at least 2025. It has since been delayed to mid-2027.[282] Artemis VII is expected to deliver a crew of four astronauts to asurface lunar outpost known as the Foundation Habitat, along with the Mobile Habitat, which is expected to occur in March 2032.[14][188] The Foundation Habitat would be launched back to back with the Mobile Habitat by an undetermined super heavy launcher[188] and would be used for extended crewed lunar surface missions.[188][283][284] Artemis VIII is expected to deliver a crew of astronauts to asurface lunar outpost, which is expected to occur in 2033, along with Artemis IX in 2034, Artemis X in 2035 and Artemis XI in 2036.[citation needed]
Prior to each crewed Artemis mission, payloads to theGateway, such as refueling depots and expendable elements of the lunar lander, would be deployed by commercial launch vehicles.[285][284] The most updated manifest includes missions suggested in NASA's timelines that have not been designed or funded from Artemis IV to IX.[286][287][188][247]
| Mission | Launch date | Crew | Launch vehicle | Duration | Goal (proposed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artemis VII | March 2032[16] | TBA | SLS Block 1B | ~30 days | Lunar landing with the delivery of the Habitable Mobility Platform (Lunar Cruiser) to the surface |
| Artemis VIII | 2033 | TBA | SLS Block 1B | ~60 days | Lunar landing with the delivery of lunar surface logistics and the Foundational Surface Habitat |
| Artemis IX | 2034 | TBA | SLS Block 2 | ~60 days | Lunar landing with the delivery of additional lunar surface logistics |
| Artemis X | 2035 (planned) | TBA | SLS Block 2 | <180 days | Lunar landing – a long-term stay with the delivery of lunar surface logistics |
| Artemis XI | 2036 (planned) | TBA | SLS Block 2 | <180 days | Lunar landing – a long-term stay with the delivery of lunar surface logistics |
Artemis support missions are robotic missions flown through theCLPS program andGateway program, and HLS demo and delivery missions.[188] The first one occurred on June 28, 2022.
| Date[a] | Mission objective | Mission name | Launch vehicle | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2022[288] | NRHO Pathfinder missionCAPSTONE[289] | CAPSTONE | Electron | Operational | |
| January 8, 2024[290][291] | First launch of thePeregrine lunar lander byAstrobotic Technology[292] | Peregrine Mission One | Vulcan Centaur[293] | Failure | Landing abandoned due to excessive propellant leak and Sun-pointer issue in the lander.[294] |
| February 15, 2024[295] | First launch of theIntuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander byIntuitive Machines[152] | IM-1 Odysseus | Falcon 9 | Success | Upon landing, Odysseus tipped 30° but instruments remained functional[296] |
| January 15, 2025 | First launch of theFirefly Aerospace Blue Ghost lunar lander | Blue Ghost M1 | Falcon 9 | Success | |
| February 26, 2025[297] | Second launch of anIntuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander byIntuitive Machines. One of the payloads isPRIME-1, anISRU demonstration. | IM-2 Athena | Falcon 9 | Partial failure | Landed on the moon, but tipped over, effectively ending the mission.[298] |
| 2026[11] | Starship HLS uncrewed HLS Demo landing mission | HLS Uncrewed Lunar Demo | Starship | Planned | |
| Early 2026[299] | Blue Moon Mark 1 lander prototype demonstration | Blue Moon Pathfinder | New Glenn | Planned | |
| July 2026[citation needed] | Astrobotic Technology'sGriffin lunar lander[300] | Griffin Mission-1 | Falcon Heavy[301] | Planned | |
| 2026[302] | Third launch of anIntuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander byIntuitive Machines | IM-3 | Falcon 9 | Scheduled | |
| 2026[11][14] | Delivery ofStarship HLS for Artemis III | HLS Crewed Lunar Demo | Starship | Planned | |
| 2027[156] | Launch of thePower and Propulsion Element (PPE) and theHabitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) as an integrated assembly. First two Lunar Gateway modules. | PPE-HALO | Falcon Heavy | Planned | Artemis support mission |
| 2028[16] | Lunar Surface Power Demo; Lunar Surface Scaled Construction Demo 1; ISRU Pilot Excavator; ISRU Subscale Demo | TO LIFT-1 | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2028[14] | Delivery ofStarship HLS for Artemis IV | Sustaining HLS Crewed Lunar Demo | Starship | Planned | |
| 2028[14] | Blue Moon uncrewed HLS Demo landing mission | Sustaining HLS Uncrewed Lunar Demo | New Glenn | Planned | |
| 2029[14] | Delivery ofBlue MoonHLS for Artemis V | Sustaining HLS Crewed Lunar Demo | New Glenn | Planned | |
| 2031[14] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis VI | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2032[16] | Lunar Surface Scaled Construction Demo 2; Autonomous Robotics Demo; Deployable Hopper 2; ISRU Subscale Demo 2 | TO LIFT-2 | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2032[16] | Fission Surface Power Demo | Artemis support mission | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2032[16] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis VII | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2033[16] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis VIII | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2034[16] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis IX | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2035[16] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis X | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned | |
| 2036[16] | Delivery of TBDHLS for Artemis XI | TBD Sustaining HLS Services | Commercial launch vehicle | Planned |
The Artemis program has received criticism from several space professionals.
Mark Whittington, who is a contributor toThe Hill and an author of several space exploration studies, stated in an article that the "lunar orbit project doesn't help us get back to the Moon".[303]
Aerospace engineer, author, andMars Society founderRobert Zubrin has voiced his distaste for theGateway, which is part of the Artemis program as of 2027. He presented an alternative approach to a 2024 crewed lunar landing called "Moon Direct", a successor to his proposedMars Direct. His vision phases out the SLS and Orion, replacing them with theSpaceX launch vehicles andSpaceX Dragon 2. It proposes using a heavy ferry/lander that would be refueled on the lunar surface viain situ resource utilization and transfer the crew from LEO to the lunar surface. The concept bears a heavy resemblance to NASA's ownSpace Transportation System proposal from the 1970s.[304]
Apollo 11 astronautBuzz Aldrin disagrees with NASA's current goals and priorities, including their plans for a lunar outpost. He questioned the benefit of the idea to "send a crew to an intermediate point in space, pick up a lander there and go down". However, Aldrin expressed support for Robert Zubrin's "Moon Direct" concept which involves lunar landers traveling from Earth orbit to the lunar surface and back.[305]
The program attracted criticism for the fact that at least 15 launches will be required to refuel HLS in orbit per crewed mission.[306] In 2024, SpaceX's Jennifer Jensen stated on a call that Starship HLS will require ten launches.[307]
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United Arab Emirates portalTo account for all Artemis costs for FYs 2021 through 2025, including Phase 2 projects like the SLS Block 1B, Mobile Launcher 2, and Gateway, we found that $25 billion should be added to the Artemis Plan's estimated costs, increasing the total costs over this 5-year period to $53 billion. Furthermore, when considering the $40 billion already spent on the Artemis mission from FYs 2012 to 2020, the total projected cost through FY 2025 becomes $93 billion.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA: Moon to Mars".nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. RetrievedMay 19, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Bonilla, Dennis (September 8, 2009)."Charter of the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee". NASA.Archived from the original on April 8, 2021. RetrievedSeptember 9, 2009. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee; Augustine; Austin; Chyba; et al."Seeking A Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of A Great Nation"(PDF).Final Report. NASA.Archived(PDF) from the original on February 16, 2019. RetrievedApril 15, 2010. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"President Barack Obama on Space Exploration in the 21st Century". NASA.Archived from the original on December 14, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 1, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"S.3729 – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010". United States Congress. October 11, 2010.Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. RetrievedJanuary 9, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Appropriations Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Commerce-Justice-Science Funding Bill".House Committee on Appropriations - Republicans. July 7, 2020.Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. RetrievedAugust 7, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Potter, Sean (April 30, 2020)."NASA Names Companies to Develop Human Landers for Artemis Missions".nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. RetrievedJune 12, 2020.protest prevented SpaceX from starting its contract for 95 days while the GAO adjudicated the case.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.NASA's new Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) effort to award contracts to provide capabilities as soon as 2019.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA Expands Plans for Moon Exploration: More Missions, More Science". NASA. April 30, 2018.Archived from the original on February 16, 2020. RetrievedJune 4, 2018.... selected but unspecified instruments from RP will instead be flown on future commercial lunar lander missions under a new Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. NASA released a draft request for proposals for that program April 27. [...] Under CLPS, NASA plans to issue multiple indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts to companies capable of delivering payloads to the lunar surface. Companies would have to demonstrate their ability to land at least 10 kilograms of payload on the lunar surface by the end of 2021.
NASA also will look for payloads for the miniature landers in addition to landers capable of delivering 500 to 1000 kilograms to the surface of the Moon.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA Announces New Partnerships for Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Services" (Press release). NASA. November 29, 2018.Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. RetrievedNovember 29, 2018. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Hautaluoma, Grey (July 1, 2019)."NASA Selects 12 New Lunar Science, Technology Investigations" (Press release). NASA.Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. RetrievedAugust 28, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"DRAFT Lunar Surface Instrument and Technology Payloads Call for Community Comment".Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). NASA. February 14, 2018.Archived from the original on August 3, 2019. RetrievedAugust 17, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA Selects Experiments for Possible Lunar Flights in 2019" (Press release). NASA. February 21, 2019.Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. RetrievedAugust 28, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"New Companies Join Growing Ranks of NASA Partners for Artemis Program" (Press release). NASA. November 18, 2019.Archived from the original on November 27, 2019. RetrievedDecember 11, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA: Artemis Accords".nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. RetrievedMay 16, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Aguiar, Laura (June 14, 2019)."NASA to Partner with American Industry to Supply Artemis Moon Missions" (Press release). NASA.Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. RetrievedAugust 28, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Potter, Sean (March 27, 2020)."NASA Awards Artemis Contract for Gateway Logistics Services".NASA.Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. RetrievedMarch 28, 2020.And before NASA sends astronauts to the moon in 2024, the agency will first have to launch five aspects of the Gateway, all of which will be commercial vehicles that launch separately and join each other in lunar orbit. First, a power and propulsion element will launch in 2022. Then, the crew module will launch (without a crew) in 2023. In 2024, during the months leading up to the crewed landing, NASA will launch the last critical components: a transfer vehicle that will ferry landers from the Gateway to a lower lunar orbit, a descent module that will bring the astronauts to the lunar surface, and an ascent module that will bring them back up to the transfer vehicle, which will then return them to the Gateway.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"The NASA Authorization Act of 2010".Featured Legislation. Washington D.C., United States: United States Senate. July 15, 2010. Archived fromthe original on April 10, 2011. RetrievedAugust 28, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Forward to the Moon: NASA's Strategic Plan for Human Exploration"(PDF). NASA. September 4, 2019 [Updated 9 April 2019]. RetrievedDecember 9, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Loff, Sarah (October 16, 2019)."NASA Commits to Future Artemis Missions With More SLS Rocket Stages". NASA. Archived fromthe original on October 17, 2019. RetrievedOctober 18, 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Jackson, Shanessa (September 11, 2018)."Competition Seeks University Concepts for Gateway and Deep Space Exploration Capabilities".nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. RetrievedSeptember 19, 2018. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Greicius, Tony (September 20, 2016)."JPL Seeks Robotic Spacecraft Development for Asteroid Redirect Mission".nasa.gov.Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. RetrievedMay 30, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission".jpl.nasa.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. RetrievedMay 30, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA Asks American Companies to Deliver Supplies for Artemis Moon Missions" (Press release). NASA. August 23, 2019. NASA Press Release M019-14. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Justification for other than full and open competition (JOFOC) for the Minimal Habitation Module (MHM)".fbo.gov. NASA.Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. RetrievedJuly 23, 2019. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Anderson, Gina (June 5, 2020)."NASA Awards Northrop Grumman Artemis Contract for Gateway Crew Cabin". NASA.Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. RetrievedAugust 23, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:Potter, Sean (October 27, 2020)."NASA, European Space Agency Formalize Artemis Gateway Partnership". NASA.Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. RetrievedOctober 28, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"Exploration EVA System Concept of Operations Summary for Artemis Phase 1 Lunar Surface Mission".ntrs.nasa.gov. NASA Technical Report Server.Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. RetrievedApril 18, 2020. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"NASA - Three Days in the Desert Tests Lunar "RV"".Nasa.gov.Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. RetrievedJanuary 24, 2020., the suits would not be ready for flight until April 2025 at the earliest ... a lunar landing in late 2024 as NASA currently plans is not feasible.
NASA's Orion spacecraft returned safely to Earth this morning following a picture-perfect test mission. [...] Orion itself was originally part of NASA's now-defunct Constellation program, and is now a key component of the space agency's Mars plans.
The launch at 12.05 UTC aboard a Delta IV heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was as free of problems as Thursday's aborted attempt was full of them. Immediately, Nasa tweeted "Liftoff! #Orion's flight test launches a critical step on our #JourneytoMars".
Orion's key systems were put to the test during the flight, which launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Heavy rocket [...] the craft hit Earth's atmosphere as the capsule was flying through space at about 20,000 mph (32,000 km/h).
The first orbital test flight of NASA's Orion crew capsule will lift off on top of a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral's Complex 37B launch pad. The rocket will send the unmanned crew module 3,600 miles above Earth...
This will be the second and final planned LAS test following the Pad Abort-1 (PA-1) development test conducted in 2010 as a part of the ccanceled [sic] Constellation Program and the abort system design changed from PA-1 to AA-2 both inside and outside [...] in preparation for a scheduled daybreak test on 2 July 2010.
In the Ascent Abort-2 test, NASA will verify that the Orion spacecraft's launch abort system can steer the capsule and astronauts inside it to safety in the event of an issue with the Space Launch System rocket when the spacecraft is under the highest aerodynamic loads it will experience during ascent...
Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE:ORB) today announced that it has been selected [...] to design and build the next-generation NASA Orion Abort Test Booster (ATB).
Delivery of I-Hab to the Gateway will be via the SLS Block 1B launch vehicle with Orion providing orbital insertion and docking.
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