NASA Is Exploring a Reduced Role for SLS as It Gets Cozier With SpaceX

As part of NASA’s plan to accelerate the Artemis timeline, the agency is considering scaling back the role of its legacy Moon rocket and opting to expand SpaceX’s part in landing astronauts on the lunar surface. Under a new proposal, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket would no longer be used to boost the Orion spacecraft to lunar orbit. Instead, Starship and Orion would dock in Earth orbit, and the SpaceX rocket would then be responsible for propelling the crew capsule to lunar orbit before transporting astronauts to the lunar surface, according to a Bloomberg report. The original plan was to use SLS to boost Orion closer to the Moon and rendezvous with Starship in lunar orbit. Following several delays and cost overruns, NASA may be looking to diminish the role of SLS to speed things along for its Artemis Moon program. At the same time, the agency is doubling down on its reliance on commercial partner SpaceX to deliver astronauts to the lunar surface. NASA’s recently appointed leadership is looking to speed things up for the agency’s Moon program. In late February, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a major revamp of Artemis, squeezing in an additional flight in 2027, un