Science & Tech · Space · 13 hrs ago
SpaceX Must Prove Orbital Refuelling for a 2028 Moon Landing
NASA's Artemis IV mission aims to land astronauts on the Moon in 2028, with SpaceX's Starship planned as the lunar lander.
It is meant to carry two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back to the Orion spacecraft.
Starship cannot carry all the fuel it needs from Earth, so it must take on propellant in space before heading to the Moon.
SpaceX's plan involves launching a fuel depot and several tanker Starships, which would dock and transfer fuel to build up the depot's supply.
The full refuelling process has not yet been demonstrated in space, making it a major challenge for the mission.
Estimates of the number of launches or refuelling operations vary widely, and NASA has not set a final number.
The refuelling setup must be in place before the crew launches, but the available information does not give a firm schedule for those steps.
SpaceX must demonstrate orbital refuelling to use Starship as the lunar lander for NASA’s planned Artemis IV mission in 2028.
The mission plan calls for Starship to carry two astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface and back to Orion.
Starship cannot carry all the propellant it needs from Earth, so the plan relies on fuel transfers in space.
Estimates of the required launches and refuelling operations vary, and NASA has not specified a final number of tanker spacecraft.
The plan involves a temporary fuel depot in low Earth orbit, followed by transfers to the lunar lander.
- Who
- SpaceX must demonstrate the refuelling system. NASA’s Artemis IV plan calls for two astronauts to travel aboard Starship.
- What
- Starship must receive propellant in orbit to serve as the Artemis IV lunar lander.
- When
- Artemis IV is planned for 2028.
- Where
- The refuelling is planned to take place in low Earth orbit and a higher orbit.
- Why
- Starship needs more propellant than it can carry from Earth to complete the journey, landing, return and orbital manoeuvres.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
SpaceX is expected to launch a fuel depot into low Earth orbit.
Starship tanker spacecraft are expected to dock with the depot and transfer propellant.
SpaceX is expected to launch the Starship lunar lander to receive an initial fuel transfer.
Artemis IV is planned to take two astronauts to the lunar surface using Starship.
- Planned mission
- Artemis IV
- Target year
- 2028
- Crew carried by Starship
- Two astronauts
- Public launch estimates
- Six to eight flights, according to Elon Musk
- GAO estimate
- Up to 16 launches in 2021
- Adviser-panel estimate
- Up to 22 refuelling operations