Posted Yesterday An artist's concept of the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS) on the lunar surface. Credit: NASA / SpaceX Share We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › NASA Artemis astronauts will have a lot of responsibilities once they arrive on the moon. The team will need to collect samples, perform experiments, and record observations after landing. But before they get there, they will require transport from their orbital Orion spacecraft to the lunar surface. That’s where SpaceX and the company’s Starship come into the equation. Ferrying astronauts to and from the moon will be a complex process—new conceptual images illustrate some of the maneuvers needed to accomplish the historic trip. On November 20th, NASA released new renderings depicting multiple phases of the Artemis III lunar landing, currently scheduled for early 2026. SpaceX’s entire process, known as the Starship Human Landing System (HLS), involves first docking with Orion as it orbits the moon. From there, two Artemis astronauts will transfer from NASA’s spacecraft into a specialized version of the roughly 164-foot-tall Starship, at which point SpaceX’s vehicle will begin a controlled descent to the moon. The Starship HLS includes an elevator to lower astronauts and cargo onto the moon. Credit: NASA / SpaceX Prior to docking with Orion, however, HLS will need to refuel before it continues on its mission. This will involve another first-of-its-kind procedure in which yet another Starship—this one built to operate as a fuel tanker—connects with the transport spacecraft while in low Earth orbit. After additional propellant transfers into the HLS, the 15-story-tall vehicle will continue to its rendezvous with Orion. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Email address