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ScienceApr 6, 2026

NASA's Moon ship and rocket seem to be working well, so what about the landers?

NASA's Moon ship and rocket seem to be working well, so what about the landers?
Image source: Ars Technica Space
Story Brief

As we have been reporting on Ars, NASA's Artemis II lunar mission has been going rather well so far. Of course, Orion's big test is yet to come with the fiery reentry through Earth's atmosphere on Friday. But so far, it's looking like the rocket and spaceship needed for a lunar landing are getting there for NASA.

Last year NASA asked both companies for options to accelerate their lunar landers, and both replied that not having to dock with the Lunar Gateway in a highly elliptical orbit, known as near-rectilinear halo orbit, would help a lot.

Lori Glaze: Yeah, I think there will be a time we do that. You know, we've got their proposals. They've each brought in some good proposals.

Reference Details
Ars Technica Space

Lori Glaze: "We have seen real commitment to try and do that... from both Blue and from SpaceX."

https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/04/nasas-moon-ship-and-rocket-seem-to-be-working-well-so-what-about-the-landers/
X · Eric Berger

With SLS and Orion flying great, I checked in with a senior NASA official on how the lunar landers are coming along. https://t.co/qbbFfY0kA8

https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/2041228576037450130
NASA Artemis Blog

The morning opened to the beat of "Working Class Heroes (Work)" by CeeLo Green as the Artemis II crew, now flying about 65,235 miles from the Moon, began preparations for their fir

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2026/04/05/artemis-ii-flight-day-5-crew-starts-day-with-suit-demo/
X · European Space Agency

✅#Artemis II update: 6 April, lunar flyby day! (times BST/CEST) 18:00/19:00 - NASA coverage begins 18:56/19:56 - Crew surpasses Apollo 13 distance record 19:45/20:45 - Lunar obser…

https://x.com/esa/status/2041180415784800741
X · NASA

@pauloraimundopt We’ll share selected images from the crew each day on the mission! Although the crew won’t be able to send down all their photos before they return, we’ll share a…

https://x.com/NASA/status/2041257653762937319
SpaceNews

The Artemis 2 mission will swing around the moon April 6, setting a distance record as astronauts study part of the lunar farside.

https://spacenews.com/artemis-2-ready-to-fly-around-the-moon/
X · Lockheed Martin Space

RT @NASA: Tired: Monday Wired: Moonday Today our Artemis II astronauts fly around the Moon! Tune in, starting at 1pm ET (1700 UTC) as they…

https://x.com/LMSpace/status/2041187284700291420
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