SpaceX is building a cabin for the Moon mission – what does its interior look like?
NASA for the first time demonstrated images of the living module that SpaceX is creating for the Starship Moon lander. The cabin, named Cabin 1, should allow engineers to test equipment and astronauts to prepare for future expeditions.
SpaceX is preparing a cabin for a Moon mission — what does its interior look like?
Cabin 1 is currently being assembled at SpaceX's Starfactory facility at the Starbase spaceport in Texas. Along with the photos of the cabin, NASA has also released an updated schedule for the main stages of the spacecraft's development. It covers the work up to the mission to land astronauts on the Moon, which the agency has scheduled for 2028.
One of the photos depicts a brightly lit narrow compartment. Its walls are covered with white soft panels, while the ceiling panel is made to look like wood. A structure resembling a padded bed with restraint straps is also visible inside.
Another image shows a row of openings cut for portholes in the steel hull section of the Starship. Yet another frame depicts workers outfitting the structure.
According to the presented schedule, the construction of Cabin 1 is set to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026. Testing of onboard systems is planned for the first quarter of 2027, and the demonstration of the airlock operation is scheduled for the second quarter.
The cabin is primarily intended to prepare for the Artemis IV mission and subsequent expeditions. In it, engineers will test the equipment, while crews will train in an environment close to actual flight conditions.