NASA has provided an update on the Artemis program, detailing the status of the Space Launch System (SLS), lunar spacesuit development, and two parallel mission architectures. Teams at the Vehicle Assembly Building have begun stacking the SLS solid rocket boosters, with the Core Stage integration scheduled for next week. This configuration will undergo tanking tests at Launch Complex 39B to address hydrogen leakage issues.
To address development delays, NASA has tasked Axiom Space with creating a lighter 'sortie' version of the AxEMU spacesuit. This simplified suit is designed for shorter surface durations of at least two hours and excludes operations in permanently shadowed lunar regions. The full-capability AxEMU remains in development, while Collins Aerospace has withdrawn from its contract, leaving Axiom as the sole provider.
NASA is evaluating two distinct mission architectures for Artemis IV to reach the lunar surface. The agency is considering both Blue Origin’s Blue Moon and SpaceX’s Starship systems. The mission profile involves docking the Orion spacecraft with these landers in low lunar orbit. NASA plans to maintain both approaches to maximize flexibility for a potential crewed landing in 2028.
The agency has selected the United Launch Alliance Centaur V as the standardized upper stage for future missions. NASA is transitioning to a stretched-tank variant of the Centaur V, though the exact timeline remains open. Artemis IV may utilize either the final Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage or the new Centaur V, with a final decision expected by next summer.
