Starship Refueling Plans for Artemis IV Remain Uncertain
NASA’s Artemis IV mission outline shows a multi‑step refueling choreography for SpaceX’s Starship, but the exact number of tanker flights is still unknown.
Conflicting Estimates on Refueling Flights
Since summer 2021, analysts have warned that Starship will need several launches to support an Artemis moon landing. A Government Accountability Office audit once suggested up to 16 flights, while a recent Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel member mentioned a possible 22. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk countered on X, saying the figure is likely closer to six or eight.
NASA’s Staged Refueling Diagram
NASA released a graphic for Artemis IV that outlines a step‑by‑step process. First, SpaceX will launch a depot ship to low Earth orbit (LEO) to hold the fuel Starship will eventually require. The diagram marks a tanker Starship docked with the depot and notes “(multiple)” next to it, indicating the number of flights needed to fill the depot is not specified.
After the depot is stocked, the Starship lunar lander will launch to LEO, dock with the depot for its initial fuel stop, then undock and climb to what NASA calls the “final tanking orbit” (FTO). At that point, additional tanker flights—again labeled “(multiple)”—will replenish the depot, which will then rendezvous with Starship in FTO for a final fuel transfer.
From Refueling to the Moon
Once fully fueled, Starship will ascend to high Earth orbit to meet NASA’s Orion capsule, which the Space Launch System (SLS) will have placed there with four astronauts. The two spacecraft will fire their engines toward the Moon, separate in low lunar orbit, and allow two astronauts to descend to the surface in Starship while the other two remain in Orion.
After surface activities, the crew will return to Starship, launch back to lunar orbit, dock with Orion, and begin the journey home.
Why the Complexity?
NASA’s explanation for the layered refueling steps is that they provide flexibility for the SLS launch timing and reduce the total propellant Starship must carry. The plan also moves Orion directly to low lunar orbit, a lower altitude than earlier concepts.
Contingencies and Future Clarity
If SpaceX cannot prove the orbital refueling concept or complete an uncrewed lunar landing by the end of next year, NASA may select Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander for Artemis IV, provided it meets the required milestones. As the launch date approaches, the exact number of tanker flights and the feasibility of the refueling choreography should become clearer.
