NASA’s Artemis III mission is expected to be one of the most complex spaceflights ever attempted, testing key technology needed to return astronauts to the Moon.

The mission will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft to rendezvous with two commercial lunar landers, SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon.

The crew will test docking procedures, spacecraft systems, and equipment needed for future lunar landings.

The mission requires coordination between multiple rockets, launch sites, and commercial partners before a planned Moon landing on Artemis IV, Space.com has reported.

If successful, Artemis III will help NASA prepare for the first crewed lunar landing since the Apollo era.