Before astronauts land on the Moon again, NASA will run a major Artemis III rehearsal in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), planned for 2027, using NASA Orion, SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, all aimed at testing critical systems and docking manoeuvres ahead of an actual lunar landing targeted for 2028. Four astronauts will launch aboard Orion on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Kennedy Space Center, with the core goal of practicing rendezvous and docking between Orion and the commercial landers that will eventually carry crews to the lunar surface.
SpaceX and Blue Origin are each flying test articles of their landers rather than final vehicles. Blue Origin will fly a version of its Mark 2 crew lander, including the avionics, flight software, and control systems needed for real crewed missions. Up to two Artemis III astronauts, in orange Orion crew survival suits, will actually open the hatch and enter the Blue Moon test lander.
SpaceX will fly a Starship Version 3 test article, the same design that will underpin future Starships. A docking system on its nose will let NASA and SpaceX study how Orion and Starship behave once connected. Astronauts will not enter the Starship lander.
The mission requires three of the world’s most powerful rockets to launch in relatively quick succession, testing ground systems, launch teams, mission control, and communications networks along the way. Blue Origin’s lander goes first, capable of staying in orbit up to 30 days while teams run checkouts. SLS and Orion follow from Launch Complex 39B, after which SpaceX sends up its Starship lander for a second round of rendezvous and docking.
This sequence mirrors what NASA calls a dual launch campaign, where a commercial lander is already in orbit before a crewed Orion arrives. Orion itself stays in a circular Earth orbit throughout, never traveling to the Moon, giving all three rockets more flexibility on launch timing before the astronauts return home aboard Orion.
This rehearsal directly enhances astronaut safety and mission reliability, ensuring robust procedures and vehicle readiness for the planned Artemis IV return to the lunar surface.
Image Credit: SpaceX- Artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Orion spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starship human landing system test article during docking
NASA’s Artemis III Will Test SpaceX and Blue Origin Moon Landers
NASA Artemis III