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NASA and its industry partners continue to make progress toward Artemis III and beyond, the first crewed lunar landing missions under the agency\u2019s Artemis campaign. SpaceX, the commercial\u00a0Human Landing System (HLS)\u00a0provider for Artemis III and Artemis IV, recently tested a 1.2% scale model of the Super Heavy rocket, or booster, in the transonic Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center. The Super Heavy rocket will launch the Starship human landing system to the Moon as part of Artemis.<\/p>\n
During the tests, the wind tunnel forced an air stream at the Super Heavy scale model at high speeds, mimicking the air resistance and flow the booster experiences during flight. The wind tunnel subjected the Super Heavy model, affixed with pressure-measuring sensors, to wind speeds ranging from Mach .7, or about 537 miles per hour, to Mach 1.4, or about 1,074 miles per hour. Mach 1 is the speed that sound waves travel, or 761 miles per hour, at sea level.<\/p>\n
Engineers then measured how Super Heavy model responded to the simulated flight conditions, observing its stability, aerodynamic performance, and more. Engineers used the data to update flight software for\u00a0flight 3 of Super Heavy and Starship\u00a0and to refine the exterior design of future versions of the booster. The testing lasted about two weeks and took place earlier in 2024.<\/p>\n
After Super Heavy completes its ascent and separation from Starship HLS on its journey to the Moon, SpaceX plans to have the booster return to the launch site for catch and reuse. The Starship HLS will continue on a trajectory to the Moon.<\/p>\n
To get to the Moon for the\u00a0Artemis missions, astronauts will launch in NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft aboard the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center. Once in lunar orbit, Orion will dock with the Starship HLS or with Gateway. Once the spacecraft are docked, the astronauts will move from Orion or Gateway to the Starship HLS, which will bring them to the surface of the Moon. After surface activities are complete, Starship will return the astronauts to Orion or Gateway waiting in lunar orbit. The astronauts will transfer to Orion for the return trip to Earth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work away from home, and prepare for future human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA\u2019s SLS, exploration ground systems, and Orion spacecraft, along with the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits, Gateway lunar space station, and future rovers are NASA\u2019s foundation for deep space exploration.<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the HLS and SLS programs.<\/p>\n
For more information about Artemis, visit here.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n NASA and Boeing safely returned the uncrewed Starliner spacecraft following its landing at 9:01 p.m. CDT Sept. 6 at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, concluding a three-month flight test to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n \u201cI am extremely proud of the work our collective team put into this entire flight test, and we are pleased to see Starliner\u2019s safe return,\u201d said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. \u201cEven though it was necessary to return the spacecraft uncrewed,\u00a0NASA and Boeing learned an incredible\u00a0amount about Starliner in the most extreme environment possible.\u00a0NASA looks forward to our continued work with the Boeing team to proceed toward certification of Starliner for crew rotation missions to the space station.\u201d<\/p>\n The flight on June 5 was the first time astronauts launched aboard the Starliner. It was the third orbital flight of the spacecraft, and its second return from the orbiting laboratory. Starliner now will ship to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center for inspection and processing.<\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program requires a spacecraft to fly a crewed test flight to prove the system is ready for regular flights to and from the orbiting laboratory. Following Starliner\u2019s return, the agency will review all mission-related data.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are excited to have Starliner home safely. This was an important test flight for NASA in setting us up for future missions on the Starliner system,\u201d said Steve Stich, manager of NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program. \u201cThere was a lot of valuable learning that will enable our long-term success. I want to commend the entire team for their hard work and dedication over the past three months.\u201d<\/p>\n NASA astronauts\u00a0Butch Wilmore\u00a0and\u00a0Suni Williams\u00a0launched June 5 aboard Starliner for the agency\u2019s Boeing Crewed Flight Test from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. On June 6, as Starliner approached the space station, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft\u2019s reaction control thrusters. Following weeks of in-space and ground testing, technical interchange meetings, and agency reviews, NASA made the\u00a0decision\u00a0to prioritize safety and return Starliner without its crew. Wilmore and Williams will continue their work aboard station as part of the Expedition 71\/72 crew, returning in February 2025 with the agency\u2019s SpaceX Crew-9 mission.<\/p>\n The crew flight test is part of NASA\u2019s\u00a0Commercial Crew Program. The goal of NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station and low Earth orbit. This already is providing additional research time and has increased the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity\u2019s microgravity testbed, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.<\/p>\n