How Starship’s launch could determine the future of NASA's $2.9B Moon landing contract
SpaceX's next launch could potentially 'unlock the future' of space travel according to Elon Musk's company with the success of Starship potentially providing a vital pathway for involvement in the Moon landing.
While some – including Elon Musk himself – retain their lofty goals for exploration of Mars, the focus of the space industry right now remains fixed on the Moon, with steps in place for the first landing in over half a century.
Artemis 3, set to launch next year, won't be the last step that sees astronauts finally plant their feet on the lunar surface, but it's understood to be the penultimate move — and SpaceX is at the heart of it all.
Starship is currently set to be the transport system that carries out this important test, yet the last 13 test flights haven't been as successful as SpaceX might have hoped, leaving many wondering whether things will indeed go to plan.
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That's what left all eyes transfixed on the latest Starship launch today, as the close proximity to NASA's Artemis 3 mission could result in this being a make or break moment for Elon Musk in his bid to secure a contract worth up to $2.9 billion.
How did the Starship launch go today?
As reported by Reuters, the latest SpaceX launch saw Starship successfully take off from the Texas launch complex on Monday, September 28, reaching orbit for the very first time despite suffering from some engine issues.
The purpose of this launch was to deploy another batch of Starlink satellites, joining the already five-digit figure that exists in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), yet a downed engine threatened to jeopardize it once again.
It initially appeared to be another disappointing failure when SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot revealed the news of the engine's failure, but he quickly changed his tune just minutes after the announcement, indicating that an attempt – that eventually turned out to be successful – could indeed be made.
Musk first proclaimed that Starship would achieve the feat of reaching orbit back in 2022, yet the past four years have been challenging for the reusable craft, making its involvement in key NASA projects a risk that some felt wasn't worth taking.
With this launch now proving to be successful, albeit with the caveat that issues were still experienced, it looks as if things are clear to go ahead with Artemis 3 next year — although plans can change and delays can strike at any point.
When will Artemis 3 take place?
NASA currently hasn't placed any exact date on the Artemis 3 launch, yet it's expected to occur in June 2027, with obvious scope for that to be pushed back further if issues arise.
Artemis 2 notably suffered a number of delays before it successfully got off the ground, and while this subsequent mission isn't quite as complex or ambitious as its predecessor, it's still equally as important — especially being the final step before the lunar landing.
All things look to remain in the hands of SpaceX when it comes to the next Artemis mission, and if all goes well there too then Elon Musk could be looking at one of the biggest and most consequential contracts in US space history.
That would presumably come also with further plans for space exploration and habitation, with the company likely holding a significant stake in any plans laid out by NASA in relation to a permanent base on the Moon's surface.