Science
Moon Landers 2028: Can SpaceX and Blue Origin Be Ready for NASA's Artemis Mission?
Two private rocket companies are racing to build spacecraft that must land astronauts on the Moon by 2028 — a deadline that space engineers say is extremely tight but not impossible.
10–20Orbital propellant-transfer tests SpaceX's Starship must complete before carrying astronauts
The facts
- 1NASA's Artemis programme aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, more than 50 years ago, using two separately built landers from competing companies.
- 2SpaceX is developing its Starship Human Landing System (HLS) — a giant stainless-steel rocket taller than a 20-storey building — while Blue Origin is building a lander called Blue Moon.
- 3SpaceX's Starship must perform roughly 10 to 20 uncrewed propellant-transfer tests in orbit before NASA will certify it safe enough to carry astronauts, and none of those tests have happened yet.
- 4Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket reached orbit on January 16, 2025, but Blue Moon still must prove lander-specific milestones before astronauts can rely on it.
- 5If either lander misses its readiness tests, NASA could delay the crewed Moon landing beyond 2028, which would affect science experiments, international partnerships, and billions of dollars in contracts.
Why it matters
The 2028 Moon mission is not just about national pride — it involves scientific experiments, astronaut safety systems, and international agreements with countries including Japan and Canada. Delays would ripple through years of planning, funding, and the careers of thousands of engineers. For young people watching this unfold, it is a real lesson in how ambitious timelines collide with the hard physics of rocket engineering.
Sources
- NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
- The Indian Express
- Blue Origin
