NASA to test Starship and Blue Moon for Artemis III
Technology
NASA is getting ready for Artemis III in 2027, which will send astronauts back to the moon after more than 50 years.
As part of the preparations, astronauts aboard Orion will test out SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon landers by docking with them in lunar orbit to see how they perform.
NASA seeks lander safety and redundancy
NASA wants to make sure both landers are safe and reliable before picking one for the actual moon landing. Testing both also means fewer delays if something goes wrong with one.
Artemis III is aiming for the moon's south pole, a spot believed to hold water ice that could help future missions go even further, maybe all the way to Mars.