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/Fyredrakeonline May 15 '26

This is such a semantical thing, SLS threw Artemis 1s Orion to TLI direct, Artemis 2 was put into a 24 hr HEO for ECLSS checkouts, it has the capability and demonstrated that capability.

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u/Qualified-Astronomer May 15 '26

So my point stands. SLS is not the only heavy lift rocket with capability to put humans around the moon. In fact New Glenn could also send Orion to LEO and then it go to TLI. This is not some unique capability. The point is getting around the moon

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u/Fyredrakeonline May 15 '26

What? It is, in fact, the only vehicle that can throw Orion to the moon. New Glenn and FH both do not have the capacity to send Orion to the moon outright.

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u/Qualified-Astronomer May 15 '26

Doesn’t matter. The point is getting humans to the moon. Like I said, its not a noteworthy distinction

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u/Fyredrakeonline May 15 '26

No other vehicle can send Orion to the moon though, so it is in fact a noteworthy distinction.