NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return Americans to the Moon, is critically dependent on SpaceX’s private-sector capabilities to provide the lunar lander. However, growing doubts about the readiness of Elon Musk’s Starship rocket are casting a shadow over the mission’s timeline, potentially putting the entire project at risk of falling behind international competitors.
According to a report by Jadeh Makhsous news base, the Starship vehicle faces immense technical hurdles. The reusable rocket has experienced significant problems during its test flights. Furthermore, some of the most complex and vital components of the lunar landing have yet to be tested, including an unprecedented in-orbit refueling process. This maneuver alone requires at least 15 smaller launches to provide Starship with the necessary propellant for its mission to the Moon.
The mission plan is radically more complex than the Apollo missions of the past. It requires Starship to launch into Earth orbit, refuel, travel to lunar orbit, and then wait for the Orion spacecraft carrying the astronauts. After the crew transfers, the 165-foot Starship will descend to the surface, where it will also serve as the astronauts’ habitat.
The decision to use this method, rather than the proven Apollo-style approach, was influenced by the desire to offload development costs to the private sector and leverage Starship’s massive size. Its large payload capacity enables heavier and more awkwardly shaped equipment to be transported, expanding the scope of scientific research possible on the Moon.
According to a report by Jadeh Makhsous, with many of these core technologies still untested, Starship represents the riskiest asset in the entire operation. These delays and unproven systems pose a significant threat to the proposed 2027 timeline for the Artemis III mission, raising concerns about the program’s future success.