NASA revises Artemis propulsion plans as Starship takes on Orion transfer

(SpaceEnergy) NASA has revised its Artemis lunar transport architecture, with SpaceX's Starship set to propel Orion towards the Moon after orbital refuelling, while Blue Origin defers cryogenic propellant transfer for initial crewed landings.

The changes, detailed by NASA on 23 October, are intended to accelerate the return of astronauts to the lunar surface in 2028.

Under the revised SpaceX architecture, multiple tanker Starships will transfer cryogenic propellants to a depot spacecraft in low Earth orbit, which will subsequently refuel the Starship Human Landing System.

Rather than meeting Orion in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon, the refuelled lander will dock with Orion in Earth orbit before performing a trans-lunar injection manoeuvre.

NASA is working to modify Orion to accommodate the arrangement, under which Starship would propel the combined spacecraft towards low lunar orbit.

The agency said the revised trajectory would significantly reduce the quantity of propellant requiring orbital aggregation.

Blue Origin, meanwhile, will defer in-space propellant transfer for its accelerated 2028 landing architecture.

Instead, three propulsion transfer stages will transport the Blue Moon Mark 2 Alpha lander towards an elliptical polar lunar orbit.

The stages will launch into low Earth orbit before joining the lander, with each separating after exhausting its propellant.

NASA said the revised approach reduces the lander's propellant requirements and enables faster returns from the lunar surface.

Both companies must complete uncrewed demonstration missions before transporting astronauts to the Moon.

SpaceX will demonstrate orbital propellant aggregation, while Blue Origin will validate its transfer-stage architecture.

NASA has not yet assigned either company the first crewed lunar landing mission.