NASA is working with US industry to develop it manned landing system Which will safely carry astronauts from lunar orbit to the lunar surface and back during the agency’s Artemis mission.

For Artemis IIINASA is working with SpaceX to develop the company’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS), aiming for the first crewed return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. Newly updated artist’s conceptual renders show how Starship HLS would dock with NASA’s Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit, then two Artemis crew members would transfer from Orion to Starship and descend to the surface. There, the astronauts will collect samples, conduct science experiments and observe the moon’s environment before returning to the starship in Orion, waiting in lunar orbit. Prior to the crewed Artemis III mission, SpaceX will perform an unmanned landing demonstration mission on the Moon.

NASA is also working with SpaceX to develop the company’s Starship lander to meet a wide range of requirements Artemis IVThese requirements include landing more mass on the Moon and docking with the agency’s Gateway lunar space station for crew transfer.

With Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work far from home, and prepare for future human exploration of Mars. NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rockets, Exploration Ground System and Orion spacecraft are NASA’s foundation for deep space exploration with the Human Landing System, next-generation spacesuits, the Gateway lunar space station, and future rovers.

For more information on HLS visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/human-landing-system

Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov