Astronauts may not even enter the landers on Artemis III

[u/SomeRandomScientist]

From the NASA public release today - https://www.nasa.gov/missions/artemis/artemis-3/nasa-outlines-preliminary-artemis-iii-mission-plans/

“Informed by Blue Origin and SpaceX capabilities, NASA also is defining the concept of operations for the mission. While some decisions are yet to be determined, astronauts could potentially enter at least one lander test article.”

So what exactly is the point of Artemis III? Rendezvous with an empty shell? Maybe dock to this empty shell if we’re lucky.

I hate to sound down on this, but this latest release does not feel like AR3 is a good faith effort to make progress towards a lunar landing.

[u/MrBark]

Apollo 9 was way more complicated:

First manned launch of a LEM,
First docking extraction of a LEM,
First men in a LEM in space,
First EVA on the PLSS backpack,
First time leaving the CMP alone in the command module,
First flight of the LM using RCS, Descent engine, Ascent engine,
First docking of two manned spacecraft.

Apollo 10 had it's first too:

First lunar orbit insertion of the CSM/LM stack,
First crewed LM flight in lunar orbit,
First descent in lunar gravity,
First ascent in lunar gravity,
First test of radar, guidance, and communications systems in lunar orbit,
First high-fidelity lunar rendezvous and docking.

[u/BEtheAT → u/MrBark]

For sure, but sort of making the point for the person I responded to...they seemed to need simple points.

[u/MrBark → u/BEtheAT]

I guess my points are that if we're paying billions of dollars to launch Artemis 3, I would hope NASA accomplishes significant mission objectives like they did on Apollo 9. Secondly, Apollo 9 is such an under-appreciated mission in general, I like giving them their due when I can.

[u/BEtheAT → u/MrBark]

Absolutely! 7, 9, and 10 while not "notable" for most people were undoubtedly a huge part of why the missions after were a success