Human Landing System – Spaceflight Now

Former NASA Administrators urge space agency to rethink plans for Artemis Moon lander

October 30, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The comments came during a fireside chat featuring former NASA administrators, Charlie Bolden and Jim Bridenstine, at the conclusion of the American Astronautical Society’s 2025 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama.

Blue Origin details lunar exploration progress amid Artemis 3 contract shakeup

October 28, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

Blue Origin’s senior director of civil space shared an update on the company’s progress developing the Blue Moon crew and cargo landers during the American Astronautical Society’s 2025 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium.

Launch preview: SpaceX to launch Starship Flight 6 test mission from Starbase in southern Texas

November 19, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission is likely to be the fourth and final Starship flight before the end of 2024. Liftoff from Pad 1 at Starbase at Boca Chica Beach, Texas, is set for 4 p.m. CST (5 p.m. EST, 2200 UTC).

SpaceX targets Starship Flight 6 launch on November 18

November 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

This will be the fastest turnaround for the Starship program as SpaceX works towards what needs to become a weekly launch cadence for NASA’s Artemis program. Liftoff is set for no earlier than 4 p.m. CST (5 p.m. EST, 2200 UTC) on Nov. 18.

Starship booster catch brings NASA, SpaceX closer to Artemis 3 Moon landing

November 1, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

As a milestone for NASA’s Human Landing System program, SpaceX is working towards an on-orbit propellant transfer demonstration campaign, beginning in spring 2025. The Artemis 3 Moon landing is targeting touchdown in Fall 2026.

SpaceX accomplishes first soft splashdown of Starship, Super Heavy Booster on Flight 4 mission

June 6, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The development mission includes fewer additional mission milestones compared to the third flight with a focus on demonstrating the reusability model that Starship promises. Liftoff happened at 7:50 a.m. CDT (8:50 a.m. EDT, 1250 UTC), near the opening of a 120-minute window.

FAA concludes SpaceX Starship safety review, continues environmental review

October 31, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX’s highly anticipated second test flight of its Starship super heavy lift rocket is one step closer to liftoff from South Texas. On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced the conclusion of its safety review. The FAA said it is still working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete an environmental review.

On-time Artemis landings by SpaceX, Blue Origin possible, but face “great challenges”

October 27, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The head of NASA’s Human Landing System program sat down with Spaceflight Now to discuss the progress of getting humans back to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

NASA concerned SpaceX’s Starship schedule could delay moon landing

June 7, 2023 Stephen Clark

A senior NASA official raised concerns Wednesday that “difficulties” with SpaceX’s development of the huge new Starship rocket could delay the Artemis program’s first moon landing with astronauts from late 2025, a mission that will use a derivative of the Starship vehicle to ferry a two-person crew to and from the lunar surface.

NASA awards Blue Origin $3.4 billion Artemis moon lander contract

May 19, 2023 William Harwood

Blue Origin, the rocket company owned by Amazon-founder Jeff Bezos, has won a $3.4 billion NASA contract to build an Artemis lunar lander that will provide a downstream alternative to the Starship variant already being developed by SpaceX, the agency announced Friday.