SpaceX has revealed captivating renderings of the interior of its Human Landing Systems (HLS) variant of the Starship spacecraft. These designs have sparked curiosity regarding the utilization of space within the lander.
NASA plans to employ this spacecraft for its Artemis 3 mission, aimed at returning astronauts to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Should SpaceX”s plans materialize, astronauts would find ample room aboard, with two of the company”s images illustrating the vastness of the vessel, featuring a crew of four seated by large windows.
The Starship”s diameter is nearly 30 feet, providing crews with significant space as they transition from the Orion capsule orbiting the Moon down to the lunar South Pole.
One of the images shows an astronaut gazing up into the dome-shaped apex of the spacecraft, a vast area seemingly devoid of any cargo. This design choice raises a critical question: what if an astronaut were to become trapped in this vast expanse without the influence of gravity?
“Starship can carry more people and much larger payloads than the Apollo Lunar Module used when humans last explored the Moon,” states SpaceX”s updated webpage about its lunar mission. The company proudly claims that “just one of Starship”s dual airlocks has more than double the interior volume of the entire Apollo lander.”
However, it remains uncertain if the HLS variant will be ready in time for NASA”s Artemis 3 mission, currently scheduled for 2028. SpaceX has faced significant challenges in developing the super-heavy launch system. The company”s recent eleventh test flight successfully launched and gently landed in the Indian Ocean after an hour of flight. Nevertheless, it has yet to demonstrate a successful landing on solid ground.
Moreover, SpaceX must showcase its in-orbit refueling capabilities prior to the Artemis 3 mission. The HLS variant will require a minimum of ten Starship launches to gather sufficient fuel for the lunar journey.
In summary, while the renderings depict a luxurious journey to the lunar surface—significantly enhancing comfort compared to the cramped Apollo-era landers—SpaceX has a considerable amount of work ahead to secure its role in NASA“s landmark mission in 2028.
With the pressure mounting, NASA“s interim administrator Sean Duffy recently indicated that the agency is also considering collaborating with Jeff Bezos” Blue Origin, a notable competitor of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, for its Artemis mission. “We”re going to have a space race in regard to American companies competing to see who can actually get us back to the moon first,” Duffy remarked in an interview, noting that SpaceX is currently “behind schedule.”
