What does the future hold for SpaceX and NASA on the Moon?

Artemis One makes its first successful flyby of the Moon and provides a much needed shakedown cruise for NASA 's SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.

The next major step for the Artemis program is the Human Landing System .

This is a critically important vehicle that will ferry astronauts from the orbiting Orion spacecraft onto the surface of the moon.

That means all eyes are on SpaceX right now as they push towards the 1st test flight of the Starship and Super Heavy Launch System .

NASA rated SpaceX with the highest technical score of the three contestants in their contract bidding process.

It's going to take multiple fueling sessions for one Starship to reach the moon.

Landing on the Moon is going to be much easier and less dramatic than the kamikaze and last second engine burn that Starship has to make on its return to Earth .

NASA has awarded SpaceX a $1.5 billion contract to develop an upgraded version two of their lunar Starship that will fly a second crewed mission to the moon.

The first crude flight of the Option B Starship Lander will be as early as Artemis 4.

NASA intends to establish a real and continuous human presence on the Moon , establishing a permanent moon base.