NASA is preparing to run one of the most ambitious and complex test missions in its history before astronauts set foot on the lunar surface again.
Set to launch in 2027, Artemis III will carry NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, and Andre Douglas, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano, aboard the Orion spacecraft into low Earth orbit. There, the crew will conduct a series of demonstrations using test versions—known as test articles—of human landing systems being developed by commercial partners Blue Origin and SpaceX. Over the planned 14-day mission, the astronauts and flight controllers will rehearse the rendezvous, docking, habitation, and operational procedures that will be critical when Artemis crews begin landing near the Moon’s South Pole in 2028. The flight is intended to lower risk, verify hardware, and build operational experience ahead of NASA’s first crewed lunar landing attempt.
“Every element of this mission in Earth orbit is meant to reduce risk before we send astronauts back to the Moon,” said Jeremy Parsons, NASA’s Artemis program manager. “We’re launching three spacecraft on three different rockets and testing how they work together—something NASA has never done before. Every lesson we learn here brings us closer to landing on the Moon in 2028.”
A first look at Blue Origin’s lander test article
While earlier Artemis missions relied solely on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, Artemis III will involve three separate spacecraft launched on three different heavy-lift rockets within a relatively short window.
The mission gets underway when Blue Origin launches a test version of its Blue Moon Mark 2 lander into a circular low Earth orbit roughly 273 miles (237 nautical miles) above Earth. The spacecraft can stay on orbit for up to 30 days, giving planners schedule flexibility. Artemis III is designed as a tightly choreographed campaign: NASA plans to launch Orion atop SLS from Kennedy Space Center in Florida just days after the Blue Moon test article lifts off, once the vehicle is confirmed healthy and ready for joint operations.
After launch, Orion will first enter an elliptical Earth orbit of 18 x 1122 miles (16 x 975 nautical miles). Using its service module, it will carry out a series of maneuvers to move into a circular orbit at about 345 miles (300 nautical miles) for thermal stabilization, then gradually set up its rendezvous with the waiting Blue Moon test article. Because each spacecraft operates in a slightly different orbital regime tailored to its mission requirements, Artemis III calls for a carefully orchestrated sequence of orbital maneuvers and rendezvous operations throughout the flight.
During the first two days of flight, the crew will check out Orion’s systems, prepare for proximity operations, and gradually position themselves for the mission’s first major objective: rendezvous and docking with the Blue Moon test vehicle.
This operation marks NASA’s first chance to evaluate how Orion and a commercial lunar lander work together in space. Engineers will examine how software aboard both spacecraft, along with guidance systems, communications systems, and operational procedures, perform under real-world conditions, while flight controllers gain experience coordinating activities across multiple teams and organizations.
Once docked, the astronauts will spend about two days conducting evaluations aboard the Blue Moon test article. Crew members will open the hatch and enter the spacecraft, allowing them to assess the cabin environment, controls, and life-support systems firsthand. Teams will verify the spacecraft’s ability to maintain proper atmosphere and pressure.
The Blue Moon test article incorporates many of the avionics, software, flight-control systems, crew-cabin technologies, and life-support functions planned for future lunar missions. Testing those systems in orbit will offer the first opportunity to evaluate how many of the lander’s flight systems perform in space as an integrated vehicle.
By the time Orion undocks, NASA will have completed its first evaluation of a commercial lunar lander with crew aboard, gathering data on spacecraft systems, crew operations, and spacecraft interoperability that cannot be obtained on the ground.
A docking demonstration with Starship
After wrapping up operations with Blue Origin’s lander, Orion will undock and reposition for the next phase of the mission: a second rendezvous operation.
SpaceX will launch a Starship Version 3 test article from Florida. Because Starship is designed for a much shorter on-orbit lifetime than Blue Origin’s lander, its launch occurs later in the mission, allowing NASA to sequence the two docking demonstrations efficiently. Starship will enter a lower orbit at 206 nautical miles, optimized for communications coverage, and will carry an added docking system mounted at the forward end.
Orion will rendezvous and dock with the spacecraft during a test expected to last up to two hours. The crew will not enter Starship during this test. The demonstration is focused on validating how Orion and Starship interact as a docked system in space. NASA and SpaceX plan to evaluate spacecraft controllability, communications, integrated software performance, and the dynamics associated with docking and undocking operations.
The docking itself also presents a unique test, using different docking geometries. Orion will connect to a port beside Blue Moon’s crew cabin, then later align its forward docking system with the one at Starship’s nose. Testing both approaches during a single mission gives NASA an opportunity to assess different operational concepts while gathering valuable engineering data.
Together, the two docking campaigns will demonstrate how Orion interfaces with two very different commercial lander architectures during a single mission.
Gathering data for future exploration
Even after docking activities are complete, Artemis III will continue generating data that supports future missions.
Once the Starship demonstration is complete, Orion and its crew will have up to five additional days available in orbit before beginning preparations for the journey home. NASA plans to use this time to complete a variety of test objectives that support future Artemis missions, including additional evaluations of the Orion Crew Survival System suits, docking sensor tests, acoustic and thermal measurements, human-factors assessments, and a range of science and technology demonstrations.
Several investigations led by NASA will build on studies conducted during Artemis II, collecting additional data that will help inform future deep-space missions. The crew also will conduct a proof-of-concept study examining how astronauts could perform health-related assessments when they are unable to communicate directly with mission control—an important capability for future lunar surface expeditions and other missions farther from Earth.
NASA also plans to fly a cellular biology experiment during the mission while researchers use the flight to test concepts for returning lunar samples to Earth. Teams will evaluate how future samples could be transported, received, and moved into curation facilities after landing, while also conducting assessments of Orion’s environment to better understand potential contamination considerations for future lunar missions.
The mission also will include Earth and solar observations that help astronauts continue developing critical observation skills while taking advantage of the spacecraft’s unique orbital vantage point. Plant seeds will fly aboard Orion as well, providing opportunities for scientific study and educational engagement following the mission.
Mission planners have also built flexibility into the flight timeline, providing additional opportunities to complete test objectives depending on how operations unfold in real time.
When ready, Orion will begin phasing for return, and the crew will configure the cabin for reentry and splashdown, which will occur in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. Orion and its crew will be recovered by NASA personnel and the United States Navy.
Rehearsing for the Moon
Every activity performed during Artemis III supports a larger goal: reducing risk before astronauts return to the lunar surface.
The mission will provide NASA with experience operating alongside multiple commercial partners while managing complex rendezvous and docking operations involving three different spacecraft. Engineers will gain insight into spacecraft interoperability, mission-control coordination, communications architecture, crew operations, and hardware performance.
By the time Artemis III concludes with Orion’s splashdown on Earth, NASA will have demonstrated technologies and operational concepts that future lunar crews will rely on as they travel to and from the Moon.
Most importantly, Artemis III will provide the operational experience needed to transform plans for future lunar landings into proven flight procedures. The lessons learned throughout the mission will help refine future exploration plans, strengthen partnerships with industry, and ensure astronauts are prepared for humanity’s next giant leap at the Moon.
As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions near the lunar South Pole to explore more of the Moon than ever before. In addition to providing economic benefits and advancing scientific discovery through its Moon missions, NASA will establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface and build on the agency’s foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars.