NASA revealed how the Starship spacecraft will assist astronauts in landing on the Moon (photo).

NASA, in collaboration with SpaceX, the creator of the reusable spacecraft Starship, has released a series of illustrations depicting how astronauts from the "Artemis-3" mission will land on the surface of the Moon in 2026, as reported by Space.

Initially, NASA aimed to carry out the "Artemis-3" mission, marking the first lunar landing by astronauts in over fifty years, in 2025. However, the planned landing was postponed to 2026 due to issues with NASA's Orion spacecraft, which is meant to transport astronauts to lunar orbit, and delays in the development of SpaceX's version of the Starship called the Human Landing System (HLS).

According to the "Artemis-3" mission plan, the HLS will dock with the Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit, allowing astronauts to transfer to the SpaceX vehicle via an airlock. Following this, the HLS will take the astronauts to the lunar surface. One of the images shows the HLS docked with the Orion spacecraft at its nose.

Another image depicts two Starship vehicles in space, docked together. One spacecraft is shown in its standard version, while the other is in its HLS configuration. The image illustrates the refueling process for the HLS mentioned earlier. The HLS will carry heavy equipment that astronauts will use on the Moon, necessitating a large amount of fuel for its spaceflight. Thus, additional fuel is required for the HLS.

The images reveal that the HLS has a different appearance compared to the standard Starship version. The lunar lander features windows for astronauts to look outside and lacks flaps. Additionally, the HLS is depicted with a smooth white finish, contrasting with the stainless steel exterior adorned with black thermal protection tiles seen on the standard Starship.

One illustration shows two astronauts in lunar suits designed by Axiom Space descending to the lunar surface via an elevator.

Two NASA astronauts have already tested this descent method in new suits during ground trials in June of this year, using a mock-up of the HLS. The tests confirmed that there is enough space in the HLS airlock and elevator for astronauts to carry out their mission in the new lunar suits.

Another image depicts the HLS performing a braking maneuver with two of its six engines activated, preparing for its lunar landing attempt.