NASA Considers Using Starship for Lunar Orbit Instead of SLS

NASA's Artemis Program may undergo further changes. After already revising mission planning in early March, including an Artemis III mission in low Earth orbit, NASA is now reportedly considering, according to Bloomberg sources, an alternative configuration for Artemis missions. This new proposal would involve greater use of Starship and reduced reliance on the SLS rocket.

In this revised configuration, the Orion capsule and Starship would rendezvous in Earth orbit. From there, Starship would be tasked with propelling Orion towards lunar orbit. Previously, this role was assigned to the SLS's second stage and subsequently to Orion's main engine. With this change, SLS's role as a lunar propulsion system would be entirely eliminated; the rocket would only be responsible for bringing Orion into Earth orbit.

A Lockheed spokesperson emphasized Orion's importance to Bloomberg, stating, "Orion is the only vehicle capable of returning astronauts from the Moon and is fundamental to the Artemis program." They added, "We are already well underway with assembling spacecraft for Artemis missions III, IV, and V, all versatile and capable of adapting to NASA's evolving missions." No statements were released by Boeing or SpaceX.

It remains unclear which Artemis mission this change would apply to, whether starting from Artemis IV or subsequent ones. According to recent program revisions, the first lunar landing mission, Artemis IV, is now scheduled for early 2028. It's important to note that even this mission will use a standardized version of the SLS rocket, equipped with the Centaur V upper stage. This stage is more powerful than the ICPS used in the first three flights but less powerful than the EUS, which was initially planned for flights after the third and has now been canceled.

Uncertainty Surrounding the First Lunar Landing

The current contract stipulates the use of Starship as NASA's lunar lander. However, significant doubts persist within the entire space sector regarding the readiness of a lander by 2028, especially if NASA aims to advance the first lunar landing from late to early that year.

Should Starship not be ready, an alternative could be a scaled-down version of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander. It remains to be clarified which specific mission this new lunar journey configuration, with Starship replacing SLS's second stage, will apply to. The new strategy for SLS appears designed to maximize the rocket's use as long as it receives Congressional funding, which currently covers a total of five missions, including the already completed Artemis I.

Bloomberg reports that NASA will hold a meeting with all industrial and institutional partners of the Artemis program the following Tuesday, March 24. Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director, confirmed this meeting during a press conference on March 19, stating that on March 24, he would have more details regarding the future of the Lunar Gateway, following the meeting with NASA.

This new proposal, as highlighted by Bloomberg's sources, is still under consideration. It will require Congressional approval and may be subject to modifications by NASA itself before any official announcement.