This is how astronauts prepare to step on the Moon in 2028

This week, SpaceX may take a giant step toward the Moon If Starship Flight 12 goes well. However, its main competitor in this race, Blue Origin, is not far behind. Its lunar module, the Blue Moon MK1, has successfully passed tests in a NASA vacuum chamber. And if that were not enough, there is now a model of the Blue Moon MK2 installed at the Johnson Space Center, so that the Artemis astronauts can practice the steps that will be carried out during the long-awaited moon landing.

A step that SpaceX has not taken. The Blue Moon MK2 model is positioned in Building 9 of the Johnson Space Center, next to a prototype of the Orion capsule. The goal is for astronauts to rehearse the transition from one ship to another just before landing on the moon. This maneuver will take place during the Artemis IV missioninitially with Starship. This is because NASA closed the contract for this point of the mission with SpaceX.

As for Blue Origin, would come into play in Artemis V. However, given some SpaceX delays, NASA has expressed the possibility of making changes to the contracts and advancing Blue Origin if it is ready sooner. At the moment, both are going well and it seems that SpaceX is recovering from its delays. The astronauts have also been able to do some training on Starship. However, everything has happened at the SpaceX facilities. It is the first time that NASA itself houses a mock-up of one of the landers so that the future crew can carry out the maneuver together with Orion.

Different from the Apollo program. The Apollo program missions were manned by three astronauts, of which two landed on the moon and another remained orbiting the Moon. This happened after the two stages of the ship separated. The lander descended towards the Moon, but the command module remained in lunar orbit.

In the case of Artemis there is not one ship that separates into two, but two ships. Astronauts will travel to lunar orbit aboard Orion. Once there, the ship will dock with the human landing system (HLS) developed by Blue Origin or SpaceX. This will allow two of the astronauts to transition to it and embark on the moon landing, while the other two remain in Orion.

A very close race. The manned moon landing will happen on Artemis IV. However, before that, each company will need to have demonstrated the landing capability of its HLS separately, as well as the possibility of refueling directly in orbit. This is mission essential and has never been done before. Both SpaceX and Blue Origin are making good progress. Some more advanced than others in specific steps, but without stopping moving forward.

A lot of money at stake. It is logical that both companies are putting so much effort into this competition. Not only the pleasure of making history is at stake. There is also a lot of money on the table. If everything goes as planned, is calculated that SpaceX could earn up to $4.5 billion and Blue Origin $3.4 billion.

It may end in a tie. Although this has always been seen as a competition, in reality if both prove to be viable, it is expected that neither will be left without visiting the Moon in the Artemis program. It is expected that Artemis III already has one of the landers for its docking with Orion in 2027. Afterwards, a manned lunar landing would be completed in 2028 with Artemis IV. From then on, the goal is for trips to the Moon to become a regular occurrence. For that, the more landers, the better. In principle, the two companies will have their piece of the pie.

Images | POT

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