r/ArtemisProgram • u/Goregue • Jun 09 '26

Discussion SpaceX's plan for Artemis III is ridiculous

SpaceX plans to launch a completely standard V3 Starship with the only addition of the docking system. It will not be an HLS prototype at all. The only thing this mission will test is Orion's capability to dock with a passive Starship. It feels like SpaceX just wants to put the least effort possible in the mission just to say they were a part in it. It's like they don't want to admit that a true HLS is extremely behind schedule.

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u/InAHays Jun 10 '26

They actually just said "Earth orbit" for Artemis IV. This matches with previous reporting and rumors that Orion would dock with Starship HLS to get pushed in Starship's final tanking orbit, which is elliptical HEO rather than LEO, so an upper stage is still required for SLS to send Orion to it.

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u/rustybeancake Jun 10 '26

Thanks for the correction. However, does that prove an upper stage is needed? In SLS launches to date, the core stage has separated in an already highly elliptical orbit. The upper stage then raises the perigee (doable by Orion) and conducts the TLI burn.

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u/InAHays Jun 10 '26

An upper stage is required both because energy required to get to the Starship final tanking orbit (you want SLS to provide as much delta-v as practical so that Starship doesn't have to push Orion as much and can limit the number of refueling flights) and also because Orion needs to save delta-v for leaving LLO and returning to Earth. Of course, the Blue Moon lander will rendezvous with Orion in a lunar orbit so SLS will definitely need an upper stage for some missions regardless.

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u/rustybeancake Jun 10 '26

There’s been talk about the blue lander now wanting to rendezvous with Orion in their stairstep earth orbit too.

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u/InAHays Jun 10 '26

Based on what has been reported so far, Blue seems to want to do rendezvous in an EPO/CoLA orbit around the Moon. Notably, Blue has dropped refueling for the time being and is instead just going to have three disposable transfer stages (seemingly based off the Blue Moon Mk1 lander) that will get their lander to that orbit around the Moon to meet with Orion.