# NASA estimate puts lunar Starship refuelling at about 22 launches

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/latest-estimate-for-starship-launches-required-to-support-a-moon-landing-22/
- Published: 2026-10-22T21:52:31+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:37:58+00:00
- Original publisher: Ars Technica
- Original article: https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/10/latest-estimate-for-starship-launches-required-to-support-a-moon-landing-22/
- Topics: Americas, Celebrity, Entertainment, Space, Technology, World

## Key points

- NASA safety panel member cited an estimate of 22 Starship launches.
- Elon Musk said the actual requirement would be closer to six to eight.
- Refuelling time could put pressure on NASA’s 2028 Moon landing goal.

## Summary

NASA’s latest estimate is that about 22 Starship launches may be needed to fuel a lunar lander for a Moon mission, raising questions about whether the vehicle can support Artemis plans on schedule. The figure was cited by a member of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel as a risk for the planned Artemis IV mission, while SpaceX’s Elon Musk disputed it.

Earlier estimates ranged from the high single digits to the high teens. The lander would need a propellant depot in low Earth orbit, supplied by tanker flights; uncertainty remains over fuel boil-off, transfer efficiency and Starship’s lift capacity. Even at a launch rate of twice weekly by the end of 2027, the article says filling the depot could take about three months. NASA is still aiming for a crewed Moon landing in 2028.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.