NASA and its industry partners continue to make progress toward Artemis III and beyond, the first crewed lunar landing missions under the agency’s Artemis campaign.
SpaceX, the commercial Human Landing System (HLS) provider for Artemis III and Artemis IV, recently tested a 1.2% scale model of the Super Heavy rocket, or booster, in the transonic Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
The Super Heavy rocket will launch the Starship human landing system to the Moon as part of Artemis.
During the tests, the wind tunnel forced an air stream at the Super Heavy scale model at high speeds, mimicking the air resistance and flow the booster experiences during flight.
The wind tunnel subjected the Super Heavy model, affixed with pressure-measuring sensors, to wind speeds ranging from Mach .7, or about 537 miles per hour, to Mach 1.4, or about 1,074 miles per hour.
Engineers then measured how Super Heavy model responded to the simulated flight conditions, observing its stability, aerodynamic performance, and more.
Engineers used the data to update flight software for flight 3 of Super Heavy and Starship and to refine the exterior design of future versions of the booster.
After Super Heavy completes its ascent and separation from Starship HLS on its journey to the Moon, SpaceX plans to have the booster return to the launch site for catch and reuse.
The Starship HLS will continue on a trajectory to the Moon.
Once in lunar orbit, Orion will dock with the Starship HLS or with Gateway.
Under the agency’s Artemis campaign, NASA and its industry partners are still working toward Artemis III and beyond—the first crewed lunar landing missions. At NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, SpaceX, the commercial Human Landing System (HLS) provider for Artemis III and Artemis IV, recently tested a 1 point 2 percent scale model of the Super Heavy rocket, or booster, in the transonic Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. As part of Artemis, the Super Heavy rocket will send the Starship human landing system to the Moon.
In order to replicate the flow and air resistance the booster encounters during flight, the Super Heavy scale model was subjected to high-speed air force during testing in the wind tunnel. The Super Heavy model, equipped with pressure-measuring sensors, was exposed to wind speeds ranging from Mach .7, or roughly 537 miles per hour, to Mach 1.4, or roughly 1,074 miles per hour, in the wind tunnel. At sea level, sound waves travel at 761 miles per hour, or Mach 1.
After that, engineers monitored the Super Heavy model’s stability, aerodynamic performance, and other characteristics as it reacted to the simulated flight conditions. The information was utilized by engineers to improve the exterior design of subsequent booster iterations and to update the flight software for Super Heavy and Starship’s third flight. Early in 2024, the testing took place, lasting roughly two weeks.
SpaceX intends to have Super Heavy return to the launch site for retrieval and reuse once it has finished ascending and separating from Starship HLS on its way to the Moon. The Starship HLS will keep moving toward the moon.
At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, astronauts will launch in NASA’s Orion spacecraft atop an SLS (Space Launch System) rocket to reach the Moon for the Artemis missions. Orion is going to dock with either Gateway or Starship HLS once it reaches lunar orbit. The crew of Orion or Gateway will transfer to the Starship HLS upon docking, whereupon they will be transported to the Moon’s surface. Following their time on the surface, Starship will transport the astronauts back to Orion or Gateway, which is currently waiting in lunar orbit. On their journey back to Earth, the astronauts will change into Orion.
NASA will use Artemis to study more of the Moon than it has in the past, gain experience living and working remotely, and get ready for future manned exploration of the Red Planet. NASA’s deep space exploration platform consists of the SLS, exploration ground systems, and Orion spacecraft; it also includes the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits, Gateway lunar space station, and future rovers.
Visit to learn more about Artemis.
Artemis can be accessed at https://www.nasa.gov.
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