Photo: New Scientist
NASA weighs shifting Artemis mission to SpaceX Starship, reducing Boeing’s role
NASA may sideline SLS for lunar orbit insertion, giving SpaceX a larger role in Artemis missions.
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Add us on Google by Estefano Gomez Mar. 19, 2026NASA today expanded SpaceX’s responsibilities within the Artemis lunar program while scaling back Boeing’s involvement, a realignment driven by growing frustration with legacy contractor delays and a deepening reliance on SpaceX’s reusable vehicle technology.
According to a Bloomberg report, SpaceX’s Starship would take on a central role by docking with Orion in Earth orbit and propelling astronauts to lunar orbit, replacing a key function previously assigned to Boeing’s Space Launch System. The original plan relied on SLS to carry Orion toward the moon before meeting a Starship lander near lunar orbit.
The revised approach would shift more responsibility to SpaceX, allowing Starship to handle both transport to lunar orbit and the descent to the surface. NASA officials are expected to discuss the potential changes with contractors including Boeing, SpaceX, and Blue Origin, though the plan could still face political scrutiny and be revised.
The move is part of broader efforts to accelerate Artemis timelines after years of delays and rising costs tied to SLS and Orion, with each early mission estimated to cost over $4 billion. While Orion remains essential for returning astronauts to Earth, its propulsion limits and SLS delays have pushed NASA to evaluate alternative mission structures.
The proposal introduces new execution risk. SpaceX has yet to complete a fully successful end-to-end orbital flight of Starship, raising questions about whether it can meet NASA’s timeline for a crewed lunar mission later this decade.
Boeing shares slipped on Thursday following the report before recovering during the session and were last trading flat in post-market hours near $201.18.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Estefano Gomez. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
