Die NASA versetzt Boeing mit der größeren Rolle der SpaceX-Mondmission einen Schlag

>Under the original plan set years ago, Boeing’s Space Launch System rocket would have launched a crew of four riding inside the Lockheed Martin Corp.-built Orion crew capsule to the moon, with the spacecraft then putting itself in the moon’s orbit. A Starship lander would then meet up and dock with the capsule around the moon, before taking astronauts down to the lunar surface.

>With the new proposal, SLS would no longer be used to boost Orion close to the moon — previously a key task for the rocket. Instead, Starship and Orion would dock in Earth orbit, giving Starship the pivotal role of propelling the capsule to the moon’s orbit, before taking astronauts down to the surface.

>NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman plans to meet on Tuesday with the companies working on Artemis and human landing system program (HLS), including Blue Origin, Boeing and SpaceX, to discuss their progress and the latest plans at the agency. Any changes to the mission could face Congressional scrutiny, and the agency could reverse and alter its plans, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the matter is confidential.

If you can’t read the article, new conops:

Starship HLS launches to LEO, gets refueled 

SLS launches Orion to LEO

Orion docks with starship

Starship takes both to LLO 

Starship continues landing as originally envisioned 

Starship back up to LLO

Orion returns

Article isnt fully clear on what happens to starship then. 

This seems dumb. According to my quick search, an Orion with service module weighs 57k lbs.
– SLS is overkill for an LEO Orion launch.
– HLS loses 57k payload to the lunar surface.
– What will Blue Origin do? Mk 2 can’t push Orion through TLI.

This seems like a one-off Artemis 4 architecture, at best.