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Author
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Topic: [Discuss] Artemis IV (Orion/HLS)
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 56697
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 10-31-2022 10:43 AM
   
Please use this topic to discuss NASA's Artemis IV mission, the planned first lunar landing mission of the Artemis program. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1490
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 06-11-2026 11:42 AM
It will be interesting to see how Artemis handles the back-up(s) for Artemis IV. I suspect there will be a single back-up for the team remaining aboard Orion, and another back-up for the HLS landing team. Guess we will find out next year. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 2061
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-11-2026 03:50 PM
Nobody stays behind. Orion will be unoccupied during landing ops. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1490
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 06-11-2026 06:42 PM
That is not what NASA's Artemis IV site shows. Two stay aboard Orion and two land in HLS.I believe this was also indicated on some previous discussions on collectSPACE. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1800
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 06-16-2026 01:48 PM
The article mentioned that the plan has now changed with the new schedule, and that all four crewmembers will descend to the surface. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1490
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 06-16-2026 04:14 PM
Artemis IV will land two astronauts on the Moon and two will remain in orbit. As experience is gained with the HLS, all four will land on the Moon. At least for the first one or two initial Artemis landings, only two will get their boots on the ground per mission. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 56697
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-16-2026 05:56 PM
Everything is subject to change, in part due to the capability of the HLS vehicle itself, but in March when NASA announced the addition of the Artemis III mission, it summarized the new plan for Artemis IV as follows: NASA continues to target the first Artemis lunar landing in early 2028, which has been the target landing date since mid-2025. After launch, crew will transfer from Orion to a commercial lunar lander for transportation to the surface of the Moon. Lander readiness will determine which provider will safely carry them to the surface and back to Orion in lunar orbit before crew return home aboard Orion – splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean. I believe NASA was purposely being vague about the number of crew to keep all options open for now. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1490
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 06-16-2026 07:21 PM
I contacted someone in NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate a few hours ago about this.Their reply, "Artemis IV plans to land 2 astronauts on the lunar surface." |
oly
Member Posts: 1548
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 06-17-2026 05:57 AM
For the first missions, it is probably prudent to have crew in the Orion spacecraft to provide a different perspective during rendezvous and docking, plus, have a pilot in Orion just in case the lander experiences a launch anomaly that requires Orion to rescue the lander crew.Such contingencies were there during Apollo, and it makes sense to have something similar. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5578
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-17-2026 06:48 AM
The capability of Orion to respond to lander orbit insertion failure modes must be rather limited given propellant mass margins and reserve delta v (while still preserving the ability to make it back home). |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 2061
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-17-2026 08:46 AM
Right, Orion can only return to Earth from such issues. It can't help ensure a landing. |
oly
Member Posts: 1548
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015
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posted 06-17-2026 06:47 PM
If only there was a Gateway outpost that had propellant stocks in the master plan. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5578
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-18-2026 06:46 AM
ESM lacks on orbit refueling capabilities. Might need to ring up AAA spacetug service. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 2061
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 06-18-2026 03:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by oly:
If only there was a Gateway outpost...
It only had propellant for its needs. |
davidcwagner
Member Posts: 1194
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 06-19-2026 01:39 PM
What ever happened to the spacetug idea? A tug spacecraft to boost spacecraft from LEO to lunar orbit. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 56697
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-19-2026 02:21 PM
Blue Origin's Mark 2 version of Blue Moon is designed to work with a space tug called the cislunar transporter. |
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