SpaceX reveals new lunar lander design for NASA's Artemis program

Technology Nov 08, 2025

SpaceX just showed off a new, more streamlined lunar lander design for NASA's Artemis program, aiming to speed up the return of astronauts to the Moon.
This update comes after NASA hit pause and reopened the lunar lander competition in October 2025, hoping to fix delays and get things moving again.

Changes in the design to speed up the process

Instead of using the full Starship (which needed lots of launches and tricky refueling), SpaceX trimmed down the design—less equipment, lighter build, and new expendable tanks.
The crew will now descend with a hoist instead of climbing a huge ladder, making things safer.
Plus, by switching to a lower lunar orbit for docking, they've cut fueling missions down to under 10—all helping NASA stick to its faster timeline.