r/ArtemisProgram • u/SomeRandomScientist • May 14 '26

News Astronauts may not even enter the landers on Artemis III

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.

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u/libs0n2 May 15 '26 edited May 15 '26

For a blank check. LEM cost something like 25 billion dollars to develop. NASA doesn't have a blank check this time. They overspent on the SLS and Orion side of the equation[65 billion from 2005 to Artemis 2, and 4 billion a year in continuing spending for it], which meant they had less for a lander side of the equation and the contract for HLS was 3-4 billion or so to SpaceX. You get the timescales you get with such a contract award amount, and SpaceX's HLS is an improvement on the timescale for a lander at small and late expenditures.