Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
NASA is advancing plans for the Artemis III mission, a crewed flight in Earth orbit to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between its Orion spacecraft and commercial landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX. NASA describes this mission as a crucial step before landing astronauts on the Moon during Artemis IV, integrating multiple spacecraft and new operational capabilities into the Artemis program. NASA officials emphasize the mission's complexity and highlight its role in involving partners and multiple hardware elements for coordination in orbit.
Artemis III will launch four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft via the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Unlike lunar missions, the rocket will use a 'spacer' instead of the interim cryogenic propulsion upper stage. This spacer matches the mass and dimensions of the upper stage but has no propulsive capability. Its design and fabrication are underway at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, with materials currently being machined for assembly.
After launch, Orion’s European-built service module will provide propulsion to circularize the spacecraft's orbit around Earth. This enhances mission success by allowing multiple launch windows for the involved elements. Alongside Orion, commercial vehicles such as SpaceX’s Starship human landing system pathfinder and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander will also participate, demonstrating integrated operations between NASA and its partners.
This test flight aims to reduce risks and improve understanding of coordinated operations in space before a crewed lunar landing is attempted during Artemis IV, when astronauts are planned to land on the Moon’s South Pole region.