NASA Unveils Artemis 3 Mission Plan: No Moon Landing

    NASA has unveiled the detailed plan for the Artemis 3 mission. The agency plans to launch 3 heavy-lift rockets from Florida over 2 weeks. Each rocket will carry a separate spacecraft. Artemis 3 was originally intended to be the first crewed Moon landing since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Under the revised plan, the mission will not land on the Moon. Instead, at least 1 lunar lander will be tested in Earth orbit. The next crewed Moon landing is planned for 2028.    First, Blue Origin will use a New Glenn rocket to place a Blue Moon Mark 2 lander built for testing into orbit at an altitude of about 440 km. NASA will then launch the Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion capsule. The capsule will be positioned at an altitude of about 560 km to rendezvous with the other spacecraft. The crew will consist of Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and Luca Parmitano. The New Glenn rocket's launch pad exploded during a test firing in May. Blue Origin is working to restore the pad by the end of the year.    After the 2 spacecraft dock, the crew will check the systems over several days. The astronauts will then open the hatch and enter the Blue Moon Mark 2 lander. They will test the lander's ability to maintain its atmosphere and pressure, as well as its software, flight controls and life-support systems. After the crew returns to the Orion capsule, the spacecraft will undock. The capsule will then prepare to rendezvous with the next spacecraft.    In the final phase of the mission, SpaceX will launch the Starship version 3 spacecraft, which made its first flight in May. The front of the spacecraft will have a docking system for connecting to the Orion capsule. The rendezvous will last only 2 hours, and the crew will not enter Starship. The astronauts will test only the docking and undocking process. They may then remain in orbit for another 5 days before returning to Earth.    The tests will examine how the Orion capsule works with 2 different commercial lunar landers. The mission will also test the new Orion Crew Survival System suits designed for deep-space flights. There is no exact launch date yet, and preparations are running 3 months behind schedule. At the earliest, Artemis 3 could begin in the summer of 2027. This will give the Artemis 4 mission 2 options for landing on the Moon in 2028.