NASA Sets 14 Day Timeline for Three Rocket Lunar Lander Test

NASA has mapped out a 14 day orbital campaign to test two competing lunar landers before any crew attempts a moon landing. The plan involves launching three separate rockets from Florida to prove out the hardware required for the 2028 Artemis IV mission. Agency officials presented the detailed operational concept on Oct. 23 at a press conference at Kennedy Space Center.

The test sequence begins with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket carrying the Blue Moon lander into low Earth orbit. This is followed by the launch of the Space Launch System, which will carry the four person crew aboard the Orion spacecraft. The final launch in the series is SpaceX's Starship, which will deploy a specialized docking adapter. Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons described the campaign as likely the most complicated launch sequence ever undertaken.

The crew for the mission consists of NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, and Frank Rubio, along with European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. Orion will initially enter a highly elliptical orbit with apogee at 1,122 miles. The capsule will then adjust its trajectory to a stable orbit at approximately 345 miles. Parsons explained that this specific altitude is required to manage thermal stress, as Orion is designed for the deeper space environment.

The astronauts will spend the first two days verifying Orion's systems. On Flight Day 3, the crew will dock with the Blue Moon lander at an altitude of 273 miles. The two vehicles will remain docked for two days while the crew tests the lander's life support and environmental controls. Mission Control will use this period to test dual vehicle command and control protocols as well as emergency scenarios.

Starship will launch around Flight Day 6 and rendezvous with Orion on Flight Day 8 at an altitude of 237 miles. This encounter is shorter, lasting only about two hours. The crew will not enter the Starship vehicle during this phase. The primary goal of this docking is to measure the physical forces involved in connecting the two spacecraft.

After undocking from Starship, the Orion capsule will continue in orbit for another six to nine days. The nominal mission duration is 14 days, though the timeline could extend to 17 days if necessary. The crew will use this time to evaluate survival suits, a task that was not completed during the April Artemis II flyby. They will also conduct health assessments and technology demonstrations before splashing down in the ocean.

This test is a prerequisite for Artemis IV, which is scheduled to land astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2028. That mission will mark the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. NASA has not yet selected which company's lander will carry the crew to the moon's surface. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the agency is keeping both options open to maximize readiness.

Isaacman said the agency has no intention of discarding a viable path to the surface until the data forces a decision. He noted that both Blue Origin and SpaceX are planning lunar landing missions for 2028. The operational profiles for the two companies differ significantly. Blue Origin's plan involves Orion meeting the lander in lunar orbit. SpaceX's plan involves Starship docking with Orion in Earth orbit and propelling the combined stack toward the moon.

The launch date for the Artemis III test mission is not yet fixed. NASA is targeting the summer of 2027. However, an internal memo from last month indicated the mission is about 90 days behind schedule. Parsons identified the lunar lander supply chain as a major challenge. Both Isaacman and Parsons expressed confidence that the team can overcome these delays. Isaacman told employees the team is moving with real speed and purpose.