Because of the starship’s height, astronauts will require an elevator to reach the surface.
The first crewed Artemis landing is still scheduled for 2025, and much work remains before NASA can return to the Moon. SpaceX, Elon Musk’s private spaceflight company, is developing a customized version of its upcoming Starship rocket, the Human Landing System (HLS). Two astronauts have assisted in testing a critical component of the Starship HLS: the elevator.
Even after the Super Heavy first stage is removed, Starship is still 160 feet (50 meters) tall, with the crew compartment located near the top of the vehicle. As a result, Starship HLS requires an elevator to move astronauts from the nose down to the lunar surface. The Starship rocket is built to withstand anything SpaceX can throw at it, with significantly more power and payload capacity than the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
At its facility in Hawthorne, California, SpaceX constructed a prototype of the intended HLS elevator, complete with a full-scale basket with operational mechanical parts and controls. The astronauts, Nicole Mann and Doug “Wheels” Wheelock, were outfitted in space suits that roughly matched the movement range and mobility the crew could anticipate on the lunar surface; however, those suits will not be ready for the actual mission.
During this test, the astronauts evaluated various controls, including gate latches, cargo storage, ramp deployment interfaces, and other design elements. The SpaceX team will find this feedback extremely helpful as they continue to develop the hardware that will enable Starship to carry astronauts to the lunar surface.
The current plan calls for Artemis II to launch next year, followed by the landing of Artemis III in late 2025. The crew will depart Earth aboard the Orion capsule, which launches with the Space Launch System. Meanwhile, SpaceX will send the Starship HLS into orbit, where it can refuel with the help of another Starship. The HLS will rendezvous with Orion at the Moon, ferrying astronauts to and from the surface. Of course, problems with Starship, the Space Launch System, the Axiom spacesuits, or any number of other issues could still cause delays for future Artemis missions.
SpaceX was the only company offering Artemis landing services at first, but NASA eventually awarded Blue Origin a second contract to build a lander, though the dubiously named Blue Moon Lander will not be ready until much later in Artemis landings; early designs show a much shorter vehicle that can rely on good old fashioned stairs.