SpaceX Found Brilliant Solution to Go Straight to the Moon before China: DRAGON on STARSHIP

SpaceX Found Brilliant Solution to Go Straight to the Moon before China: DRAGON on STARSHIP
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#spacex #space #spacezone #starship
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SpaceX Found Brilliant Solution to Go Straight to the Moon before China: DRAGON on STARSHIP
As we all know, NASA’s been looking for a faster way to get back to the Moon. Interestingly, SpaceX claims to have a plan for that — though for now, it’s still mostly under wraps. So naturally, what we’re going to do today is dig in and figure out what that plan might be by exploring the possible options. Let’s not waste any more time and jump right in!
Recently, a NASA spokesperson said the agency “has received and is evaluating plans from both SpaceX and Blue Origin for acceleration of HLS production.”
SpaceX Found Brilliant Solution to Go Straight to the Moon before China: DRAGON on STARSHIP
They added, “Following the shutdown, the agency will issue an RFI to the broader aerospace industry for their proposals. A committee of NASA subject matter experts is being assembled to evaluate each proposal and determine the best path forward to win the second space race, given the urgency of adversarial threats to peace and transparency on the Moon.”
As for SpaceX, the company told NASA it’s proposing a “simplified mission” to get astronauts back to the lunar surface. This comes after criticism over delays from Sean Duffy.
In a blog post released Thursday, Elon Musk’s aerospace and defense company wrote:
“We’ve shared and are formally assessing a simplified mission architecture and concept of operations that we believe will result in a faster return to the Moon while simultaneously improving crew safety.”
SpaceX Found Brilliant Solution to Go Straight to the Moon before China: DRAGON on STARSHIP
So, first, let’s take a look at what Starship is supposed to do under the current plan. That way, we can see why the mission might need some simplification — and what SpaceX could actually do to make it better.
Under the Artemis architecture, the first step is to launch the lunar version of Starship into low Earth orbit. From there, multiple tanker Starships have to fly up and refuel it. Once that’s done, the lunar Starship fires its engines again to leave Earth orbit and head toward the Earth-Moon transfer point, where the Moon’s gravity takes over.
Next, Starship uses its engines to enter what’s called a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon — basically, a stable orbit where it can just hang out and wait. Meanwhile, NASA launches the SLS rocket carrying the Orion capsule with four astronauts on board. Orion travels to the Moon, enters the same orbit as Starship, and the two spacecraft dock. Two astronauts then transfer over to Starship, descend to the lunar surface, do their mission, and eventually return to lunar orbit to rejoin Orion.