NASA plans two docking tests before a Moon landing

NASA laid out a detailed plan for Artemis III on Friday. The agency plans to send four astronauts into Earth orbit in 2027. NASA's Orion capsule would dock with a Blue Origin lander test vehicle. The crew would enter it, then dock with a SpaceX Starship test vehicle. They would not enter Starship on this flight.

NASA wants to test the spacecraft together before sending astronauts down to the Moon. The plan requires three large rockets and carefully timed launches. That makes this a demanding rehearsal, not a guarantee that either lander will be ready on schedule.

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Will Blue Origin, SpaceX and NASA have their hardware ready for the 2027 test? NASA still targets a crewed Moon landing in 2028, after this Earth-orbit mission.