NASA has tapped SpaceX to upgrade the communication capabilities of the Artemis III mission scheduled for next year. NASA will install two Starlink mini laser terminals on the exterior of the Orion spacecraft. This hardware will allow astronauts to send 4K video and high-resolution imagery back to the Mission Control Center in Houston.
For the public, this means unprecedented access to the mission. During the 2027 flight, four astronauts will test how Orion approaches and docks with the commercial lunar landing systems required to return humans to the Moon in 2028. Viewers on Earth will be able to watch these tests unfold in real-time detail.
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