Ars: You fly the Artemis III without an ICPS upper stage because you don’t need the performance to reach low Earth orbit. But you need a second stage simulator. What is the status of this?
Parsons: This is very nice for me. This is called a spacer and we have already completed the design. The metal is already bulging at United Launch Alliance, and then we will weld it at the Marshall Space Flight Center. We expect it to appear at Kennedy Space Center no later than December, and then we’ll assemble Orion on top of that. We are in a really good position with this and I am very happy with the progress.
Ars: So the rocket and Orion should be ready to go by mid-2027. Let’s talk about the other parts, the two lunar landers and their launchers. Starting with Blue Origin, you referred to the prototype lander they flew for Artemis III as a “landing test article” during your remarks today. What exactly does this mean?
Parsons: This is between Mk 1 and Mk 2. It’s the same lunar crew module, which is really the most important aspect—same avionics, same flight program, so we’ll be doing all the component tests. This will be the first production article of the lunar crew module, so we will have the ECLSS (environmental control and life support) system.
The main differences between this test article and the final lander will be the BE-7 engines, so it will not be cryogenic in this test. What we’re going to use are storable propellants and a reaction control system because they don’t need the massive power required to get to and from the moon. It also gives us some time to really dial in what we call a dual launch campaign. It’s going to be something that’s going to be really highly choreographed as we move into the Artemis IV missions and beyond.
Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 lander, seen in the center, is taller than NASA’s Apollo lunar lander and is currently the largest spacecraft to land on the Moon. Blue Moon MK2 is larger, but all three landers are small, about the size of SpaceX’s Starship.
Credit: Blue Origin
Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 lander, seen in the center, is taller than NASA’s Apollo lunar lander and is currently the largest spacecraft to land on the Moon. Blue Moon MK2 is larger, but all three landers are small, about the size of SpaceX’s Starship.
Credit: Blue Origin
Ars: Could the Blue Origin lander for Artemis III be launched on the existing 7×2 version of the New Glenn rocket?
Parsons: Yes.
Ars: You and other NASA officials have expressed great confidence that New Glenn will be ready to launch this vehicle next year. pillow explosion a few weeks ago. Do you have to decide whether or not to fly the Artemis III test lander at New Glenn or consider other rockets?
Parsons: So is there a decision point…
Ars: If you get to October or November this year and Blue Origin’s launch pads for New Glenn are nowhere near ready.
Parsons: I think you’ve heard from Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp and Jeff Bezos, and they’re all there. Another thing to consider is that they’ve already launched the second pad, so they’re about a year into this development period. This will be a dual path. They are really getting into and cleaning the SLC-36 right now, and a lot of the major hardware is in really good shape.
