Key Takeaways
- The significant test will be conducted by Elon Musk’s spacecraft company as part of preparations for a demonstration of an uncrewed lunar landing.
- It will advance NASA’s goals to send people back to the moon’s surface for the first time since the Apollo period if it is successful.
- Under the Artemis program, SpaceX is supplying two Starship vehicles for the trip.
SpaceX is getting ready for a historic mission that could serve as a prelude to an uncrewed moon landing: transferring propellant between two orbiting ships.
As part of NASA’s Artemis program, the attempt might happen as early as March of the next year.
In an interview with Spaceflight Now, NASA official Kent Chojnacki described the specifics, stating that Elon Musk’s business not only pursues its own goals but also plays a significant role for the U.S. space agency.
NASA’s larger Artemis mission, which includes SpaceX’s Starlink spaceship as a key component, intends to get humans back to the moon, and the propellant transfer test is a crucial challenge to overcome. The partnership comes after a $4.05 billion deal was awarded for two Starship vehicles, which would eventually land the first humans on the moon since the Apollo era.
It is now projected that the crewed landing will occur in September 2026. As part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program, SpaceX also secured contracts totaling $733.5 million for eight missions.
NASA’s Program for Space Launch Systems (SLS)
Chojnacki remarked, “We learn a lot each time (a launch) happens,” referring to the ongoing Starship test flights, of which there have been five so far.
Using the chopstick-like arms of its “Mechazilla” pad structure, SpaceX successfully snagged its enormous rocket on its descent on October 13, sparking much excitement and making headlines.
During his tenure at NASA, Chojnacki made substantial contributions to the Space Launch System (SLS) program and currently serves as the deputy manager of the agency’s Human Landing System (HLS) program.
The first SLS launched the Artemis I mission in December of last year, and it oversees the construction of the massive rocket of the same name. As part of Artemis, it will keep sending out new missions in the future. It is estimated that NASA spends about $2 billion on each launch because the SLS rocket is not fully reusable.
