Will SpaceX hold up NASA's Artemis Missions? The spotlight, as you can imagine, will be on SpaceX’s Starship as it takes on an unprecedented role. In contrast to Artemis 2, which primarily serves as a trial run for the equipment and protocols involved in a lunar journey, Artemis 3 has the objective of actually landing astronauts on the Moon. The mission's success is tied intricately to the capabilities of the Starship lunar lander, which is designed to safely ferry astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back.
The intricacies of the Starship lander will be under intense scrutiny. For instance, the lander will have to demonstrate advanced propulsion systems to navigate the Moon’s low-gravity environment. It also must be equipped with life support systems to sustain the astronauts during their stay on the lunar surface, possibly lasting several days. Moreover, the lander must facilitate smooth ingress and egress for astronauts who will be in bulky space suits, a feature that cannot be overlooked.
Additionally, orbital refueling presents another set of challenges. SpaceX needs to prove not just to NASA, but to the world, that Starship can be reliably refueled in Earth’s orbit before making the journey to the Moon. This involves developing new technology for transferring fuel in the vacuum of space, a procedure that has its own sets of complexities. Failure to do so could result in delays that could push the mission past its planned date, which is why NASA is paying close attention to SpaceX's progress in this area.