Starship HLS

Mission Profile

Starship HLS (Human Landing System) is the SpaceX Starship vehicle variant selected by NASA in April 2021 to land Artemis astronauts on the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972. Derived from the standard Starship upper stage, the HLS variant features extended propellant capacity, a large cargo elevator, landing legs optimized for the lunar surface, and a pressure suit-compatible airlock for crew egress near the south pole. The crewed Artemis III mission planned for 2026 will see Orion crew transfer to Starship HLS in lunar orbit for descent to the lunar surface, spending approximately one week on the Moon before ascending to rendezvous with Orion. Starship HLS represents the most powerful lunar lander ever developed, capable of delivering significantly more payload to the surface than any Apollo hardware.