NASA panel pegs Moon rocket flights needed
A safety panel has put a specific number on how many Starship launches are needed to support a lunar landing.
By Noah Dvorak ·
Charlie Precourt, a former NASA astronaut and a member of the NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, said during the panel's quarterly meeting on October 22 that it would take 22 Starship launches to support a lunar landing. The figure addresses a long-standing question about the number of flights required to fuel a Starship-based lander in low-Earth orbit for a mission to the Moon. NASA has previously been hesitant to provide a specific number for this metric.
The figure of 22 launches is tied to a process that involves a 'depot' Starship and multiple 'tanker' Starships. The tankers would be used to fill the depot with liquid oxygen and methane propellant. This fuel is necessary for a Starship-based lunar lander to travel to the Moon, land on its surface, and return to lunar orbit. The total number of launches required for such a mission has been a subject of discussion for years.
NASA officials have previously offered varying estimates for the number of tanker flights. In 2023, the then-director of NASA's Human Landing System program, Lisa Watson-Morgan, stated she was reluctant to give a precise figure. She later indicated the number could be in the 'high single digits to the low double digits,' while other officials have mentioned figures in the 'high teens.' The expectation has been that SpaceX would increase Starship's lift capacity to reduce the number of tanker flights.
However, some NASA officials have expressed concerns that this increase in lift capacity may not be happening quickly enough. The goal is for Starship to play a significant role in returning humans to the Moon as part of the Artemis Program this decade. The discussion of launch numbers is central to the feasibility of that timeline.
The source article's title and content do not provide information on the specific reasons for these concerns or the timeline for any potential improvements to Starship's lift capacity. The article also does not provide any statement from SpaceX regarding the 22-launch estimate or the concerns raised by NASA officials.
The estimate of 22 launches would represent a significant increase from previous figures. The launch of a depot and 11 tankers, as mentioned in the source, would be a total of 12 launches. The 22-launch figure would nearly double that number. The source does not clarify if the 22-launch figure includes the depot and tankers, or if it refers to a different type of launch.
The number of launches required to fuel a lunar lander is a key factor in the Artemis Program's timeline and budget. A higher number of launches would require more resources and time, potentially impacting the program's schedule. The source article does not provide any information on the potential impact of the 22-launch estimate on the program's timeline or budget.
The source article does not provide any information on the potential impact of the 22-launch estimate on the program's timeline or budget. The article also does not provide any statement from SpaceX regarding the 22-launch estimate or the concerns raised by NASA officials.
Source: Ars Technica · original report published
