NASA Considers Starship For Artemis Lunar Transfer As Boeing Role May Shrink

TLDR

• NASA is considering Starship for lunar orbit transfer in future Artemis missions.
• The proposal could reduce Boeing’s role in the Space Launch System program.
• Orion would still remain part of the mission for astronaut return to Earth.
• Rising SLS costs and schedule delays are driving NASA’s review of mission plans.
• Starship would carry added responsibility despite pending full mission demonstrations.

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NASA is considering a major change to its Artemis moon program. The agency may give SpaceX’s Starship a larger mission role while reducing Boeing’s work on the Space Launch System.

The possible change would alter how astronauts travel toward the moon. Under the new approach, Starship could help move Orion from Earth orbit to lunar orbit. That step was earlier tied to Boeing’s SLS in the current mission design.

NASA reviews a new Artemis mission structure

NASA is reviewing whether Starship can take over more of the transport work in Artemis missions. Bloomberg reported that Starship could dock with Orion in Earth orbit and then push it toward lunar orbit. This would shift a major task away from Boeing’s SLS.

Under the current Artemis plan, SLS launches Orion and sends it on a path toward the moon. Orion then meets a Starship lander near lunar orbit for the descent phase. The revised plan would give Starship a wider role in both transfer and landing operations.

NASA has not announced a final decision on the change. Agency officials are expected to discuss the proposal with Boeing, SpaceX, and Blue Origin. The plan may still change because it could face political review and contractor concerns.

The review comes as NASA tries to keep Artemis on track. The program has faced repeated schedule pressure, and mission costs have remained high. Early Artemis flights are estimated to cost more than $4 billion each.

Boeing’s role may shrink as NASA looks for flexibility

Boeing has played a central role in Artemis through the Space Launch System. SLS has long been the main launch vehicle for Orion under NASA’s deep space plans. A change in mission structure could reduce Boeing’s direct role in sending crews toward the moon.

The shift would not remove Orion from the Artemis program. Orion would still be needed to bring astronauts back to Earth. But its propulsion limits and the pace of SLS development have pushed NASA to study other options.

NASA’s interest in a revised plan reflects wider pressure across the program. Artemis has faced delays linked to hardware readiness, testing, and launch preparation. Those issues have increased focus on systems that may support a more flexible mission design.

Market reaction showed immediate attention to the report. Boeing shares fell on Thursday after the news emerged. The stock later recovered and ended near flat in post-market trading at about $201.18.

SpaceX gains a larger role but risk remains

SpaceX already has a major place in Artemis through its lunar lander work. A broader transport role would expand that position and place Starship closer to the center of future moon missions. That would mark a clear shift in NASA’s contractor balance.

The new plan would also place more mission risk on Starship. SpaceX has not yet completed a fully successful end-to-end orbital Starship mission. That record may shape NASA’s final view as it weighs mission timing and crew safety.

Even so, NASA appears willing to consider a wider use of reusable systems. The agency is under pressure to control costs and keep its lunar schedule moving. That pressure is shaping talks about how Artemis missions should be built in the years ahead.

For now, the agency is weighing whether a larger Starship role can support its moon plans more effectively. Any final move would reshape responsibilities across Artemis and reduce Boeing’s place in a mission architecture it helped build

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