NASA fears Starship won't be ready for 2027 Artemis mission

"According to reports, ASAP has warned there is every chance that SpaceX's Human Landing System (HLS) won't be ready in time. Artemis III is the mission where NASA plans to put astronaut boots back on the Moon. It is scheduled for 2027, but SpaceX's Starship is a major component of the mission and is only now moving past the stage where test flights tend to end in fireballs."

"When SpaceX was awarded the contract to put humans back on the Moon, the plan was to reach the surface in 2024. The mission profile requires humans to launch on NASA's SLS rocket, rendezvous with the Human Landing System (HLS) variant of Starship in lunar orbit, and conduct a visit to the lunar surface in the SpaceX vehicle. That trip has been postponed to 2027."

"According to a report in The New York Times, Starship might not be ready until 2032. SpaceX boss Elon Musk retorted: "It's not worth lining a parrot cage with NY Times, let alone reading it." The concerns of NASA's ASAP are more difficult to dismiss. Members of the panel were impressed by SpaceX, yet there is no getting away from how much work still remains, and how much must go perfectly, before humans can take the HLS variant down to the Moon's surface."

NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel warned that SpaceX's Human Landing System (HLS) may not be ready for the 2027 Artemis III lunar landing. SpaceX's Starship is only recently moving past destructive early test flights, and program milestones remain: one more Starship V2 test, V3 testing, proving reliability, establishing fuel depots, and using multiple tanker refuels. Artemis II crewed SLS launch is now scheduled for 2026, pushing the surface visit to 2027. Some timelines project Starship readiness as late as 2032. SpaceX leadership dismissed pessimistic reporting, while the panel stressed substantial technical work and flawless execution are still required.

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