Originally, Artemis III was meant to land two astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole, with SpaceX’s uncrewed Starship Human Landing System waiting in lunar orbit. Following the successful Artemis II lunar flyby, NASA now describes this revised approach as a risk-reduction step. By testing in Earth orbit, engineers can rehearse approach, docking, hatch operations, and software and communications integration between Orion and the landers in a more controlled setting—before adding the complexities of deep-space radiation, communication delays, and high-speed lunar re-entry.
Artemis III is now a critical bridge between the lunar flyby of Artemis II and the more demanding landing missions of Artemis IV and V—missions that will help pave the way for a sustained lunar base.
For the first time, a European Space Agency astronaut will join an Artemis crew: Luca Parmitano, who will serve as pilot. He’ll be joined by commander Randy Bresnik (NASA) and mission specialists Andre Douglas and Frank Rubio (both NASA). Bob Hines is assigned as backup. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher noted that Parmitano’s role reflects Europe’s deep expertise in human spaceflight. ESA also provides Orion’s European Service Module, which supplies power, propulsion, and life support.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted the “most awe-inspiring coordination of heavy-lift rocket launches in history.” That coordination is one of the central challenges: the mission architecture requires a tightly scheduled series of launches—the Space Launch System with Orion, plus at least one (ideally two) large lander test vehicles. All must reach compatible orbits within days, making the plan sensitive to weather and technical delays.
Blue Origin and SpaceX will each have distinct roles in the test mission. Both companies are supplying low-Earth-orbit-capable test articles—called Pathfinders—of their Human Landing Systems, equipped with functional docking ports and avionics interfaces to Orion. The mission will demonstrate automated rendezvous, navigation, telemetry, and docking. On at least one lander, the crew will open the hatch and rehearse interior procedures for future surface missions. The goal is to test both systems in a single flight if possible.
From a design perspective, the two landers differ substantially. Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 is a more traditional lander with moderate mass, focused on precision landing, supported by separate cargo missions. SpaceX’s Starship HLS is a fully reusable, large-capacity vehicle that requires a complex refueling chain using multiple tankers in Earth orbit—a higher-risk approach that could significantly boost later efforts to build a sustained lunar presence. NASA’s documentation lists SpaceX as the Artemis III provider and for an additional crewed landing demo on Artemis IV, while Blue Origin’s first crewed landing demonstration with its Blue Moon lander is set for Artemis V.
Moving the test to Earth orbit itself adds redundancy: if issues arise, return is quicker, communications are more stable, and rescue scenarios are more feasible. This fits into a step-by-step testing strategy that includes extensive ground tests and uncrewed precursor flights. For example, Blue Origin’s uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, named “Endurance,” has already passed thermal vacuum tests and is undergoing communications system checks in Florida.
In parallel, hardware for the mission is taking shape. This summer, engineers will connect Orion’s crew module to its service module and integrate the docking system for the first time. Heat shield blocks are being inspected and mounted. For the SLS core stage, the engine section will be joined to the rest of the stage, followed by installation of its four RS-25 engines. All solid rocket booster segments are already at Kennedy Space Center, with stacking on the Mobile Launcher set to begin this summer.