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NASA Weighs Alternatives to SpaceX's Starship for Artemis III Lunar Mission
14 Nov
Summary
- Artemis III mission to return astronauts to the moon faces delays
- Starship rocket development plagued by "explosive setbacks"
- NASA may sideline Starship and expedite alternative lunar lander
As of November 14th, 2025, NASA's Artemis III mission, intended to return astronauts to the moon, is facing significant delays due to setbacks in the development of SpaceX's Starship rocket. Starship, the most powerful rocket system ever built, was planned to be used for the final leg of the Artemis III journey to the lunar surface.
However, the article reports that Starship's development has been plagued by "explosive setbacks," and the vehicle's gargantuan size and unprecedented design present formidable engineering challenges that could take more than a decade to solve. This could complicate NASA's goal to conduct Artemis III just a year or so after Artemis II, a crewed mission to circumnavigate the moon slated for early 2026.
Fearing that China may reach the moon first, NASA has recently signaled that it is considering sidelining Starship from the Artemis III project and perhaps expediting the development of an alternative lunar lander. However, it remains unclear whether the space agency has the necessary funding and time to pursue a new spacecraft for the mission.
