SpaceX publishes photos of Starship HLS, which will take Americans to the Moon

SpaceX has published new renderings of the Starship HLS (HLS - Human Landing System) spacecraft. It is this version of Starship that will take Americans to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

Starship HLS is very different from the prototype of the Starship spacecraft, the sixth test of which took place yesterday. In the "parked" position, the rocket with a large number of windows on the upper part resembles more a skyscraper than a spaceship. Previously, SpaceX declassified the internal structure of the Starship HLS. According to them, the rocket will be spacious and comfortable.

Starship HLS will go to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis III 30-day mission. The launch will take place no earlier than September 2026.

The Artemis I lunar exploration mission successfully completed in December 2022. The second phase of the program, Artemis II, is expected to orbit the Moon and return astronauts to Earth. Artemis II is scheduled for September 2025, and will be the first manned mission beyond Earth orbit since Apollo 17. The third phase of the mission, Artemis III, will see astronauts land on the Moon.